1 Response to madrid07nalbandian_berdych

1. Voo de Mar says:

   July 27, 2025 at 1:46 pm

   Points won by each set: | 28-29, 34-26, 39-36 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   29 % Nalbandian – 29 of 100
   35 % Berdych – 33 of 92

   One of very rare matches (but usually each player with a career of standard length is involved in such a contest at least once) that the loser leads with a double break in a set that could have given him the victory. Taking into account the quality of these two players, and the fact the match was held indoors (court no. 1) the progress seems even more bizarre – Berdych [11] won eight games in succession, then Nalbandian [25] six in a row. The Argentine led 4:2* (15/0) after a firm passing-shot when he began playing poorly for ~30 minutes. At 0:4* (30-all) in the 2nd set he struck a very good forehand return which totally rewrote the script – he won that game and another five with ease (Berdych unable to get two points in a game). The Czech took a toilet break before the decider, regrouped, and was comfortably holding throughout the rest of the match. At 6:5* he was three times two points away from victory (the only ‘deuce’ game of the decider), but never had a chance during rallies to manufacture a match point. In the ensuing tie-break Nalbandian hit three aces (!) and took it 7/2. He was a bit lucky that in the 3rd set he didn’t get a warning from Cédric Mourier for hitting the ball in the stands (he’d done it softly though) because after the first point in the tie-break he repeated it aggressively, so he deserved a point penalty which could have put Berdych into a 2:0 lead. On the other hand with an earlier warning, Nalbandian might have behaved differntly way being frustrated when the tie-break kicked off.

   Serve & volley: Nalbandian 1/1, Berdych 0

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