USA: TENNIS: Sixth seed Tomas Berdych shocks top seed Roger Federer in quarter-finals at the U.S. Open

Record ID: 702314

  • Title: USA: TENNIS: Sixth seed Tomas Berdych shocks top seed Roger Federer in quarter-finals at the U.S. Open
  • Date: 6th September 2012
  • Summary: FLUSHING MEADOWS, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 5, 2012) (REUTERS) ROGER FEDERER ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROGER FEDERER SAYING: "Well, yeah. I mean I've got to go back to the drawing board from here and see what's really the priority, if that's [being number one] a priority for the end of the year. So I don't know right now. I mean, the goal has been achieved, but now this is disappointing for me. We'll see where I go from now and if I go to Davis Cup or not, about what's to come for the remainder of the season. That obviously -- number one has another role to play, but this obviously is a setback. But again, the season is not over. I hope to finish strong at the end and particularly in the indoor season then." REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROGER FEDERER SAYING: "Yeah, I mean obviously he's got a good chance. I think if he plays well and serves well and makes the right decisions before and during the match against Murray, obviously he's got a chance. He's beaten him before. Then again, it's going to depend on the conditions, day or night. Obviously, it's going to be a day session, but you never know with the rain now. So it's an interesting matchup for sure." TOMAS BERDYCH ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOMAS BERDYCH SAYING "It's probably the way that with my game, I'm able to make him some trouble, you know. That even if he's playing well and then we play a match together, then, you know, probably, -- or probably -- there is something in my game that he doesn't like and it makes him a bit struggle, I would say, and maybe bring him out of his comfort zone that he always like to be on the court. He always like to have a time and he always like to have, you know, be the one who is dictating the game. If there is someone different then someone else who can be in his position, then that's the way I'm, you know, you know, successful in a couple of matches with him." REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOMAS BERDYCH SAYING ABOUT IVAN LENDL AS ANDY MURRAY'S COACH: "Ah, well I already had that experience from Monte Carlo and since then we didn't play each other. So far when Ivan [Lendl] is with Andy I think we have it one-all. Well, it would be nice to maybe, you know, get the lead. But, you know, I think he's gonna try to do the same. It's gonna be a nice match." ANDY MURRAY ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANDY MURRAY SAYING: "I think if you're very angry a set and 5-1 down you're probably not going to be able to get yourself back in the match. I was more frustrated at the end of the first set when I got myself back into it 4-3 and then lost serve the next game but then, yeah, I started thinking a little bit more. He got nervous towards the end of that set once I got one of the breaks back, which helped me and then, yeah, from five-all in the second set I played a great match after that." REPORTERS SERENA WILLIAMS ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SERENA WILLIAMS SAYING: "Yeah, I felt much better moving. I was excited I'm moving faster, feels good. I felt solid, I felt like second set I could have stayed focused a little more, but she played a little better also. That's when it's really important to get refocused." ANA IVANOVIC ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANA IVANOVIC SAYING: "Yeah, overall I'm very satisfied. I played some really good tennis to get into this position. Even tonight I felt like I was striking the ball so nicely on both sides. That's something that I worked hard for. I think it's a big step for me to reach quarterfinal, it's a confidence boost, too." IVANOVIC LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 21st September 2012 13:00
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  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAADIXXHZMPVUN30LF5TTCM6U0O
  • Story Text: Roger Federer was knocked out of the U.S. Open on Wednesday (September 5) when he lost a quarter-final thriller to Tomas Berdych, marking his earliest exit from New York in nine years.
    The world number one was unable to conjure up any of his old magic after the Czech made a flying start and stormed to a surprise victory, 6-7 4-6 6-3 3-6.

    "I mean I've got to go back to the drawing board from here and see what's really the priority, if that's [being number one] a priority for the end of the year. So I don't know right now. I mean, the goal has been this achieved, but now this is disappointing for me," said Federer.
    Although Berdych has never won a grand slam title, the sixth seed is a gifted player who has been a thorn in Federer's side before, most famously in 2010 when he beat the Swiss master at Wimbledon.

    "I'm able to make him some trouble, you know. That even if he's playing well and then we play a match together, then, probably, there is something in my game that he doesn't like and it makes him a bit struggle, I would say, and maybe bring him out of his comfort zone," the Czech said about his ability to beat Federer.
    Berdych made a nervous start in the bear pit that is the Arthur Ashe Stadium, losing his opening service game, but was almost untouchable for the next hour and a half, cracking winners to every part of the court.
    Federer was staring at defeat when he went down a break in the third but through sheer force of will, he raised his game and won the set, unsettling Berdych with perfectly disguised drop shots and some outrageous passes down the line and across the court.
    But Berdych regained his composure in the fourth set and claimed the crucial break in the eighth game before serving out for victory.
    For Federer, a five-time winner at the U.S. Open, it marked the first time he had failed to make the semis since 2003, the same year he won the first of his record 17 grand slams titles.
    Olympic champion Andy Murray produced an extraordinary turnaround to dig himself out of a deep hole and safely book his place in the semi-finals.
    The British third seed was in all sorts of trouble after losing the opening set to Croatia's Marin Cilic and falling 5-1 behind in the second with two service breaks. But he rallied back to win the set in a tiebreak then rolled through the next two, winning the last 11 games, to claim the 3-6 7-6 6-2 6-0 victory.

    "I think if you're very angry a set and 5-1 down you're probably not going to be able to get yourself back in the match," Murray told reporters. "I was more frustrated at the end of the first set when I got myself back into it 4-3 and then lost serve the next game.

    "He got nervous towards the end of that set once I got one of the breaks back, which helped me and then from five-all in the second set I played a great match after that."
    The Scot, chasing his first grand slam title, will now meet Berdych in the semi-finals.
    Murray's fellow Olympic champion Serena Williams, brimming with confidence and self-belief with every match she plays, stormed into the semi-finals with a 6-1 6-3 demolition of Serbia's Ana Ivanovic.
    The last American left in the tournament after Andy Roddick was sent into retirement by Juan Martin del Potro, Williams was at her irresistible best as she steamrolled Ivanovic in less than an hour.

    "I felt solid. I felt like second set I could have stayed focused a little more, but she played a little better also. That's when it's really important to get refocused," she said about her game.
    Williams, chasing her fourth U.S. Open title and her 15th grand slam, plays Italian Sera Errani in Friday's (September 7) semi-finals with the winner to face either Maria Sharapova or Victoria Azarenka in the final.
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