WIMBLEDON, England — Tomas Berdych
swept Novak Djokovic in straight sets at Wimbledon on Friday to reach
his first Grand Slam final.
The 12th-seeded Czech, who upset
six-time champion Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, kept up his
sparkling run with a 6-3, 7-6 (9), 6-3 win Friday over the third-ranked
Serb on Centre Court.
Berdych's opponent in Sunday's final
will be the winner of the second semifinal between Rafael Nadal and Andy
Murray.
The 24-year-old Berdych is the first
Czech to reach the men's final at the All England Club since Ivan Lendl
in 1987. The only Czech to win the men's title was Jan Kodes in 1973.
"The feeling is absolutely amazing. It
is really tough to describe," Berdych said. "Every young kid, from the
first time he hits the ball and thinks to be a tennis player, this is
the dream to be in the final of any Grand Slam. This is definitely the
biggest tournament for me."
Berdych dictated most of the play with
his big first serves and punishing forehand, and seized command of the
match by winning a dramatic second-set tiebreaker.
Berdych lost serve just once in 16
games and broke Djokovic three times. The Czech had 11 aces, 34 winners
and 17 unforced errors.
It was Berdych's first win over
Djokovic after two defeats. Djokovic, winner of the 2008 Australian
Open, fell short in his bid to reach a third Grand Slam final.
Djokovic hurt his own chances with
eight double faults, including two in a row in the eighth game of the
third set to lose serve and give Berdych the chance to serve out the
match.
"He's just a better player today on
the court," Djokovic said. "When I had the opportunities, I didn't use
them. In important moments I served some double faults. I was a little
bit unfortunate in some points. But definitely didn't take my chances
and he used it, so he deserved to win."
The 70-minute second set was a
mini-match in itself featuring some spectacular points, controversial
calls, sudden changes in momentum and saved set points by both players
in a rollercoaster tiebreaker.
With Berdych serving for the set at
6-5, Djokovic broke for the first time to set up the tiebreaker.
Djokovic double-faulted to go down 6-2, handing Berdych four set points.
After saving the first three,
Djokovic served at 5-6. He played tremendous defense on a rally of 23
strokes. Berdych hit a forehand and came to the net, and Djokovic
flipped a lob that landed at the baseline but was called out. Berdych
let up and casually hit the ball with his back to the net.
The video replay showed the shot was
good, and chair umpire Carlos Ramos of Portugal ordered the point
replayed.
"What do you mean?" Djokovic screamed
at him, thinking he should be awarded the point. He protested only
briefly, then won the replayed point with a backhand winner for 6-all.
Djokovic then had two set points
himself but couldn't convert. Berdych saved one with a service winner
and one with a big forehand.
With Djokovic serving at 9-10 —
Berdych's sixth set point — he double-faulted. When Djokovic reached his
chair, he knocked it over with a whack of his racket. The umpire gave
him a code violation for racket abuse, and Djokovic applauded
sarcastically.
"I thought at that moment the referee
was wrong," he said. "I continued on playing. Maybe it would be a
turning point if I won that second-set tiebreaker. Who knows? Maybe."
Djokovic looked increasingly tired in
the third set and served the back-to-back double faults to trail 5-3.
In the next game, Berdych hit a service winner on his second match
point.
"I didn't feel great on the court,"
Djokovic said. "I don't know why. In that third set I kind of dropped
the energy level and wasn't managing to step it up and be aggressive."
Saturday's women's final pits
defending champion and three-time winner Serena Williams against
21st-ranked Russian Vera Zvonareva, playing in her first Grand Slam
title match.
"I don't care what everyone says,"
the 25-year-old Zvonareva said. "I know if I can play my best tennis I
can beat anyone on the other side of the net. That's what I'm going to
try to do on Saturday. I never look at any odds or comparisons. It's not
important to me."
Williams is a 12-time Grand Slam
champion.
"I'm hoping to still peak in the
final," said Williams, a scary thought from someone who hasn't dropped a
set in six matches and has served a Wimbledon record 80 aces.
Williams will be playing in her sixth
Wimbledon final and 13th Grand Slam title match, and knows Centre Court
at the All England Club as well as anyone in the game.
"On paper it looks like I should
win," Williams said. "But Vera, she's beaten some good people. Her last
two matches she's been down a set, so she's obviously a fighter. She
never gives up. The biggest thing for me is to stay positive and not put
too much pressure on myself."