The second match of the Davis Cup First Round tie between Germany and the Czech Republic also went the distance of five sets. Following on from Philipp Kohlschreiber’s five-set defeat of Lukas Rosol, Tomas Berdych came back from two-sets-to-one down to defeat Alexander Zverev 7-6, 1-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, in a match lasting more than four hours.
Berdych had raced into an early lead, three love after breaking the Zverev serve in game two. Zverev would quickly regain the break, before the two again traded breaks en route to a opening set tie-break. Berdych took the first set, and the match appeared to be going to form for the former Wimbledon finalist and current Top Ten player.
Zverev had other ideas. The German took heart from the loss of the first set by such a close margin, breaking Berdych early. Berdych managed three aces but could not muster a single winner, with Zverev dropping just two points on serve. Berdych’s serve continued to falter, and Zverev quickly levelled the match. Zverev’s form continued into the third, earning a double-break to go four-one up on Berdych. At this point the Czech had won just two of the last twelve games, but Berdych did manage to regain one of the breaks, bringing the set back to four-three before both men held the rest of way through the set, Zverev now leading by two-sets-to-one.
The fourth set proved to be the tightest of the match, as it was the only set where both men held all their service games. Both men had opportunities to break, with Zverev earning four break points, and Berdych one. Berdych worked Zverev hard as the young German served to stay in the set at five-six, but a tiebreak beckoned. Berdych took the early lead, and led four-two at the change of ends before Zverev came back. Berdych earned the lead again, and this time did not relinquish it, taking the match to a decider.
In the early stages of the fifth set it appeared that Zverev might prove the victor, as he fought strongly early on, earning love-thirty in one game, only to be disappointed by Berdych. It was the Czech who managed to break midway through the set at four-three. Zverev did not give in, fighting to deuce against the Berdych serve but failed to break. He then held to deuce himself, earning one last chance to break back. Berdych denied him even the glimmer of an opportunity, as the Tour veteran held to love to the level the tie at one-all.
Berdych proved in this match that consistency is key, as he suffered in the second set, and parts of the third. Berdych’s level proved enough to edge Zverev in the three sets where he played some of his better tennis, whereas Zverev could not sustain the level of play that he produced in the second and much of the third.
Tomorrow will the doubles take place, with Dustin Brown and Philipp Petzschner set to take on Radek Stepanek and Jiri Vesely. Both Petzschner and Stapanek have doubled pedigree, whilst Dustin Brown prefers the serve-and-volley tactic. Jiri Vesely has a decent left-handed serve and is a former Junior Doubles Champion at Wimbledon.
