AO - Nadal d Berdych mercilessly, into 1/4s

Day 7 of Australian Open 2019, and the round of sixteen. Third match on Rod Laver Arena was:

Tomas Berdych (CZE) v Rafa Nadal (2) (ESP)

Nadal served first.  Up 40-15, two unforced Spanish errors and a Czech winner brought up break point.  It was saved, and an ace gave Nadal game point. He held for 1-0.

Berdych hit a forehand winner, but a Nadal winner and a double fault led to break points.  One saved, but not the next and Nadal ahead 2-0.

A love game featuring a pair of forehand winners put Nadal further in front 3-0.  Four unforced errors from the Berdych racquet and a second break of his serve.  Nadal 4-0.

Nadal held serve, including a winning backhand and an ace.  5-0.

Berdych served to at least win a game.  Down 0-30, he received a Nadal  winner from the Spanish backhand wing, and on the first of three set points, Nadal hit a winner from the forehand wing.  A 6-0 whitewash.

All the talk this year had been about Federer and whether he could take home a third straight Aus Open, but little had been noted that to achieve it, he likely needed to defeat Nadal in a semi final.  And the way the Spaniard had performed to this point, beating him would seem a huge task.

Set two started the way the previous one ended - Nadal won to love, an ace finishing, and he led 1-0.  Berdych was then broken, the break point converted with a Nadal forehand winner.  2-0 Nadal.

No break points faced yet for Nadal who held for 3-0.  Up 40-0, Berdych stumbled slightly with a double fault but held comfortably to break the nine game Nadal streak and trail 1-3.

That was the sole joy for the Czech player as Nadal strolled through the rest of the set, grabbing it at the end with a final point ace.  6-0 6-1.

Set three was a different affair with no breaks of serve through 11 games.  Nadal had faced no break points, and Berdych saved two in each of the fifth and eleventh games.

At 5-6 0-30, Nadal hit a winner and Berdych an error. 30-30. A Berdych forehand winner brought up break point, but a Nadal forehand winner saved the day.  Two Czech errors and Nadal levelled at 6-6.  Tie break time.

All points on serve 3-3 at first change of ends.  Mini break for Berdych as he forced a Nadal backhand error. 4-3.

The tie break was turned on its head after two unforced errors from Berdych.  5-4 Nadal, with two serves to come.  The first was an ace, giving him two match points.  Berdych was forced into an errant backhand and his day and tournament were done.

Rafa Nadal won 6-0 6-1 7-6(4) to reach the quarter finals, where he will play unseeded American Frances Tiafoe.