Roger Federer beats Tomas Berdych for the 15th time, winning by 6-4 6-2 in his debut match at the O2 Arena for the ATP World Tour Finals. Despite a shaky start, the Swiss takes advantage of Berdych’s nerves in the first set and outplays the Czech in the second to collect his victory number 49 at the ATP Finals. The Swiss is also presented with two awards on court at the end of the match.
At his 14th appearance at the ATP World Tour Finals, Roger Federer collects victory number 49 beating Tomas Berdych in straight sets by 6-4 6-2 in 1 hour and 9 minutes. The Swiss doesn’t shine in his debut at the O2 Arena and takes advantage of a bad day from the Czech on his forehand. Federer doesn’t hit a volley until half an hour into the match, failing to show the brilliant progression he has got his fans accustomed with. The Swiss manages to find his best rhythm in time to close the match in straight sets, becoming increasingly more devastating on his forehand in the second set. As soon as the Swiss manages to put Berdych’s backhand under pressure, the Czech starts to fall into the trap, feeling pushed to close the rallies faster and ending up committing a whole lot of unforced errors. It is Federer’s 15th win against Berdych in 21 matches played against the Czech.
A winner in 2003-04, 2006-07 and 2010-11 at the ATP World Tour Finals, Federer has to play like he did in the second set against Berdych to make sure he can survive the Round Robin action with no hassle. At the end of the match, Federer was presented on court with the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award and the ATPWorldTour.com Fan’s Favourite Award. Roger’s coach Stefan Edberg steps on court with ATP’s CEO Chris Kermode to present the Swiss with the awards. It is the 11th time that Federer wins the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship award, the 13th time in a row he wins the fans’ favourite award.
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It’s the perfect ending to Federer’s first night out in London. The tournament has officially started and the Swiss has shaken off his first nerves.
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MATCH REPORT
Roger Federer (SUI) b. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 6-4 6-2 in 1 hour and 9 minutes
O2 Arena – London
RR ATP World Tour Finals 2015
Damian Steiner (Argentina) – Chair Umpire
The crowd is obviously not so shyly rooting for Roger Federer as he gets the warmest welcome on court of the day.
Tomas Berdych starts the match serving, after winning the toss.
THE FIRST SET
Berdych plays two strong first serves to hold serve to 15 as Federer hits a backhand return wide. The Swiss tries immediately to put pressure on Berdych’s forehand, but Tomas stays consistent. Federer starts his match on serve with two consecutive double faults at 0-15, to go 0-40 right away. Berdych attacks on Federer’s backhand on a tender second serve, and breaks at his first chance to go up 2-0.
Federer has a chance to get right back into the set as he leads 0-30 on Berdych’s serve in the third game. The Czech hits a backhand in the net and faces his first 3 consecutive break points in the match. Federer breaks with a backhand drop shot winner to come back at 1-2.
Roger now looks more for Tomas’s backhand, but most importantly has found his first serve. The Swiss holds to love to tie the score at 2-2. Strong at the baseline, Federer has another chance on Berdych’s serve at 0-30, after winning a 20-shot baseline rally forcing the Czech into hitting a forehand in the net. Berdych commits a terrible forehand unforced error on an open court, allowing Federer with 2 break point chances at 15-40. The Czech saves the first with a first serve, on the second Federer plays a short return on which Berdych attacks with a deep forehand. Berdych closes the game with an ace to lead 3-2.
Federer starts the 6th game with his first ace of the match. Up 40-30 the Swiss hits his 3rd double fault in the match. The Swiss insists on Berdych’s backhand using his serve and holds to tie the score at 3-3. The Swiss has only won 2 points on his second serve up to this point, with a winning percentage of 28%. Too low for the Swiss, who struggles to find his rhythm on serve.
It is now Berdych who manages to dictate the rallies with his forehand, attacking on Federer’s backhand, pushing the Swiss to finish the rallies with a series of forced errors. The Czech holds to 15 and leads 4-3. Federer plays his first volley of the match on a second serve, hitting a backhand volley in the net. Despite the lack of progression, Roger fires a forehand winner and closes the game at 15, to keep the equilibrium going at 4-4.
Berdych starts to feel the nerves as he serves at 4-4, so much so that he plays a disastrous 9th game. The Czech kills an airborne forehand in the net to trail back 0-30, then fires another forehand wide to face three break points down 0-40. Another unforced error on his forehand, hitting an easy shot in the net, sets Berdych with a lost serve. Federer breaks to serve for the set up 5-4.
Serving for the set, Federer hits three first serves, including an ace, to lead 40-0. On the first set point, Berdych wins the rally with a forehand winner. On the second set point the Czech hits a forehand long. After 38 minutes Roger Federer wins the first set by 6 games to 4.
Federer had 8 winners and 7 unforced errors in the set, compared to Berdych’s 6 winners and 10 unforced errors.
THE SECOND SET
Federer wins the best point of the match at the net, after lobbing Berdych and closing the rally with a forehand volley winner. The Swiss starts to have fun and mixes up pace and shot-making. Roger gets to break point at 30-40 thanks to a backhand drop shot return winner. Berdych hits another forehand in the net and gets broken in the first game as Federer leads 1-0.
The Swiss holds easily, finally more aggressive with his forehand, to lead 2-0. Federer has another chance on Berdych’s serve, up 15-30. The Czech comes back to have a game point, but hits a backhand long to set the score to deuce. As Federer attacks with his forehand, Berdych is pushed off court and faces another break point at 40-A. Federer insists on Berdych’s backhand, to open up the court and force Berdych to hit out with his forehand. Tomas misses a forehand wide, and calls for the first challenge of the match. Hawk-Eye confirms the call and Federer breaks to lead 3-0.
Federer insists on using the drop shot, winning most of the points. The Swiss holds serve to love and leads 4-0 in the set as the match approaches its finish line.
On a first serve hit by Berdych at 30-30, Federer calls his first challenge, but loses the point. The Czech attacks on Federer’s backhand to close the game and trail back at 1-4. In the 6th game, Federer plays aggressive with his backhand to open up the court. The Swiss closes the game with a backhand cross-court winner at 40-30 to hold serve and lead 5-1.
With Berdych serving to stay in the match, Federer tries his first SABR return of the match, ending up losing the point at the net with a backhand volley finishing long. Berdych manages to stay alive, holds and sends Federer to serve for the match at 5-2.
Federer starts the game with a double fault, then gets to 15-15 closing the point at the net with a forehand volley winner. With two strong serves on which Berdych can’t return, Federer has his first 2 match points at 40-15. Berdych plays a fantastic point, closing with a drop backhand volley. At his second chance, Federer comes at the net and closes the match with a chopped forehand winner after 1 hour and 9 minutes.
Berdych has now a 0-6 record at ATP Finals openers.
