[MagicDiceFlow]

My favorite player for the last few years in the ATP is Berdych. Out of all the big servers(Del Potro/Raonic/Isner), Berdych has the best all around game imo. Those other players have holes in their groundstrokes while Berdych is solid in almost every stroke forehand/backhand/volleys/big serve. Among the big three Djoker, Nadal, Fed ...I think Berdych has the closest chance to upset one of them .He has so many weapons and of course that big serve which has oddly been quite effective on clay this year. I also like how he hits his groundstrokes flat with great pace.

Berdy took Fed and Djoker to the brink of elimination on clay earlier this year. With all the attention on the top four, look for Berdych to be right in the thick of it. Ferrer would be my next choice but I still like Berdy's game better.

My boy Berdych will make it to at least the QF this year ...I'll be tracking his progress here.

[MagicDiceFlow]

Berdy will have a very tough draw ......as he'll be playing Del Potro & Federer in the next few rounds in his draw.

[MUHerd37]

He can't beat Nadal. Djokovic doesn't impress me much on clay and I think Berdych would have a good chance at taking him out. I think Federer would beat Berdych. Fed is just so solid and would be tough for Berdych to take 3 sets off him.

[MagicDiceFlow]

I will take Berdych plus the handicap if he meets Fed in the later rounds. I think he'll take Fed to four or five sets.

[baskets]

he looks good. wilts like a bitch vs Nadal when it counts, tho


has the power to pull a Soda on Nadal, tho. that's for sure. not sure he can keep it up for 5 sets

[EaglesPhan36]

Your boy is in major trouble.

[MagicDiceFlow]

Your boy is in major trouble.

Berdy will be allright. Anderson cant even come close to breaking Berdy here in this last set. Two strong serve games in a row here by Berdy. Anderson is the one in big trouble now. Berdy will finish him off in this last set.

[EaglesPhan36]

Not really a good sign for him though being taken 5 by someone like Anderson. He plays like this against someone like Del Potro and he gets buried.

[MagicDiceFlow]

Berdy didnt play bad today. Anderson just played the best match of his life and came up short(even the announcer confirmed this).

So now this sets up the big rematch against Del Potro. Will be a great match as DP will have revenge on his mind suffering the lost to Berdy earlier this month.

[rthoughton]

remember last year how much Berdych played leading up to the majors? i thought it really hurt him last year. he did the same this year, but has been playing really well. I like him as well.
Really hoping Djok gets this one, tho. No one else can beat that douche Nadal.

[rthoughton]

so Del Potro is a lock? even with that bum knee?

[ParlayininHTown]

Not really a good sign for him though being taken 5 by someone like Anderson. He plays like this against someone like Del Potro and he gets buried.

Berdych should've won in four sets ... totally crapped the bed on that third-set tiebreak. But I agree that today's struggles are not a great sign. He was sick today, and that had to affect him to some extent, but I watched a couple of his matches during the Dusseldorf tourney and saw a guy who is quite vulnerable when he is faulting on his first serve. I think his power game can help him get deep in the FO. However, like you said, the draw isn't friendly. He'll be in serious trouble against another big guy like Del Potro or even Cilic.

I have to give Anderson credit for playing a solid match. He is getting better every month, and he has a wide serve that can cripple a lot of players. Anderson also hit some great return shots that backed up Berdych and put him in awkward positions. He had that serve working for him almost the entire match ... just lost it at the worst possible time, double-faulting on a break point in the fifth set.

If Berdych has a match where his first serve is landing in at a high percentage, and he's not using much energy to hold serve like in the last set today, he can get to the quarterfinals again ... I've watched him enough lately to know that's asking a lot of the guy. Also, keep in mind that he is sick. I'm not sure how long this will last -- maybe it's just a cold -- but it makes you wonder how fatigued Berdych is after playing a five-setter today.

[EaglesPhan36]

Berdy didnt play bad today. Anderson just played the best match of his life and came up short(even the announcer confirmed this).

So now this sets up the big rematch against Del Potro. Will be a great match as DP will have revenge on his mind suffering the lost to Berdy earlier this month.

Yeah ESPN announcers, so knowledgeable.

[MagicDiceFlow]

so Del Potro is a lock? even with that bum knee?

Of course my money will be on Berdy ....pending that Del Potro wins his match today.

Berdy will most likely be the favorite but not by much. Probably around -130.

[EaglesPhan36]

Del Potro whipping Cilic's ass. Should be a good one next round.

[MagicDiceFlow]

Yep, Del Potro is about to straight set Cilic. He's looking sharp. Should be a great match between the two. They way he's whooping Cilic, the DP/Berdych line might be close to a pick.

[MagicDiceFlow]

The line just came out.....as expected almost a pick. Heritage has Del Potro -110 currently. So who are you taking guys???

Damn this is gonna be a great match and Del Potro looked mighty sharp with his serve and groundies today......but I gotta take my boy Berdych on this one.

[EaglesPhan36]

Beginning of the tournament, probably would have gone Berdych. Del Potro looking stronger and stronger - Overs might be a great bet in this one. Will likely be a low 40s total, but anything 42 or under ... I like the over. Don't see either winning in straights and with the way the serves have gone, should be real tight sets.

[MagicDiceFlow]

Man EP ......I was gonna go big on Berdy but Del Potro was looking scary strong today....lol.

I might have to slice it up and do 50/50 on Berdy and the Over. I'm waiting for the game line and o/u to come up.

[NetworkCash]

i saw his game today . he won hardly 3-2 so i started feeling worried about betting on him !

[MagicDiceFlow]

Good match, both players hitting the ball very well. Berdych starting to crush the ball in that second set.

We're headed for a barn burner....hopefully time will allow completion.

[MagicDiceFlow]

There goes the time. Play suspended til tomorrow.

[matt1216]

I still like berdych to take this to 5 ests

[MagicDiceFlow]

This rest will benefit Berdych more than Del Potro.

[EaglesPhan36]

From a momentum standpoint, obviously benefits Berdych because he was going the wrong way fast in that last set. Then again, Del Potro was just as poor the set before. I need another good, tight set to give the over a shot - rooting for your boy to even it at 2 though so I don't have to worry about that.

[MagicDiceFlow]

Your over bet is good EP. This rest will help the over as both players will return to massive serve form when they resume. One of these last sets will be a 7-5 or tie breaker.

[baskets]

I disagree with the rest theory. Delpo is a lumbering lumberjack. He always looks like he's about to fall over when the clock is near the end.... seen too many tourneys of him kneeled over, hands on knees.

The rest will be good for him.... b/c even tho he had the momentum going into the 4th set... if he slipped up there, he would've been in for an endurance in the 5th.

This just makes him play another 2 sets max.... but I think he'll take it in the 4th.

For the next match, this is all good news for Fed.

[baskets]

Was I hallucinating?

On Eurosport I was watching the Birdy interview after his And win in 5 sets... and the announcer hoe said that Birdy has one of the best 5 set records in men's tennis.... he's won 15 out of 20 or something like that..... did I hear that wrong?

Yet I just came across this weird stat:

Berdych's losses at RG since 2008:

R2 08 - 3-6 6-4 7-5 3-6 4-6 Llodra
R1 09 - 4-6 4-6 7-5 6-4 3-6 Bolleli
SF 10 - 3-6 6-3 7-5 3-6 3-6 Soderling
R1 11 - 6-3 6-3 2-6 2-6 7-9 Robert

[MagicDiceFlow]

My boy Berdych making it far this year at a Slam.

I'm taking him over Murray tomorrow.