In the second male semifinal at the Sony Ericsson Open, the majority of the highlight reel was filled by Tomas Berdych.  Berdych, the 16th seed, squashed Robin Soderling, the 5th seed, 6-2, 6-2 to move on to the finals where his ultimate challenge will be Andy Roddick.

When Berdych sent a forehand wide following a great return in the initial game of the match, Soderling had break point. However, with a series of booming serves including an ace on game point, Berdych held.  Similarly, Soderling had a comfortable game his first time out.  But, on his second trip, Soderling was pushed to deuce.  Nevertheless, with a forehand winner, Soderling pocketed the game for 2 all. Yet down at 2-3, Soderling made two errors; then, with a forehand up the line winner, Berdych gave himself triple break point.  When Soderling dumped a backhand into the net, Berdych moved ahead 4-2.  After easily consolidating, Berdych broke Soderling at love for the second successive occasion to terminate the set.

Up to this juncture, Soderling had two primary problems, a low first serve percentage and too many errors, particularly with his main weapon, the forehand.  Yet, despite being blown off the court the first set, Soderling’s body language was positive.  In the first game of the second set, when Berdych committed an error serving at 30-0, Soderling pumped his fist.  That attitude at least helped Soderling out of a tight spot in the second game.  As a result of a double fault, Soderling stared at double break point.  Although with difficulty, Soderling carried the game for 1 all.  Then for the first time in the match, by forcing a couple of mistakes on Berdych’s serve, Soderling had 0-30.  Still, with Soderling incapable of finding a decent return rhythm, Berdych inched in front 2-1.  The next game, when Soderling’s forehand up the line missed its mark, Berdych had break point. Luckily, Soderling came up with the answers, erasing a total of two break points to equalize things at 2 all.  However, serving at 2-3, Soderling’s forehand up the line miscue resulted in a break point for Berdych.  Unable to find the range with another forehand, Soderling handed Berdych a 4-2 advantage.  After Berdych consolidated quickly for 5-2, he pressured Soderling into a caravan of errors to arrive at match point.  Then, with a return winner, Berdych ended the match and claimed the remaining final spot.

After his tremendous victory, MiamiTennisNews.com wanted to know how Berdych was able impose his will on the match:

Q.  The last two times you met Robin, one was in Sunrise in a challenger series here, and [the other in] Kuala Lumpur.  He pretty much beat you handily.  How did you change your game plan or tactics today?
BERDYCH:  Yeah, I mean, it was I would say pretty simple.  Both of those matches he was playing really aggressive[ly] and I was just . . . waiting for some mistakes or something and giv[ing] him too much time to just do on the court whatever he want[ed].  So, this time I just need[ed] to play more aggressive. . .  Step a little bit more into the court, try to play faster and a little longer shots against him, and just not give him too much time.  Then all the errors can come.  That’s what happened today.  I was serving pretty [well] today.  But, I would say really [the] key point was in the first game when I was break point down. . . Maybe if . . .  he took [that game] and start[ed] really strong, the match could be different.  It wasn’t, so I’m happy for that.

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In their semifinal encounter at the Sony Ericsson Open, Andy Roddick defeated Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to reach his second straight final this year at an ATP 1000 Masters event.

Following a game where Roddick allowed Nadal to touch the ball only once, his next time up, the American dropped serve.  Although Nadal had to salvage break point, he consolidated and got his nose in front 3-1. The balance of the set, Roddick put on a service clinic.  However, the single break was sufficient for Nadal to grab the first set.

In the second set, Roddick upped the ante by being more aggressive.  Although Roddick failed to capitalize on his second break point, with Nadal serving at 3-4, Roddick baited him into two miscues. In addition, with a forehand up the line winner, Roddick obtained triple break point.  Then by sticking a crosscourt forehand winner, Roddick gained the break for 5-3.  Next, with a love game, Roddick held to send the match to a third set.

In the decisive set, after Nadal guarded serve at love, he forced an error from Roddick to procure break point.  But, with a big serve, Roddick provoked a backhand return error for deuce.  Later on, with two huge volley winners, Roddick equalized the set at 1 all.  Soon, by zeroing in on a volley by Nadal, Roddick made a sensational lob.  Despite Nadal tracking that shot down, his only option, the tweener traveled long resulting in double break point.  When Nadal netted a forehand, Roddick went up a break 2-1.  Whilst Nadal did his utmost to make a push on Roddick’s service games, he was unable to find the key.  Serving at 3-5, Nadal sliced a backhand volley into the net, handing Roddick match point. With the Spaniard’s forehand landing wide, Roddick placed a period on the match.

Afterwards, MiamiTennisNews.com asked Nadal this question:

Q.  What do you think made the difference out there in today’s match?

NADAL:  Well, I think I started the match playing pretty well in the beginning.  Later, I had the match well under control in the first set with my serve. . . in the second set Andy was serving well . . . I didn’t have a lot of chances on the return.  He play[s] very aggressive game and started to play more aggressive[ly] in the game where he did . . . break.  It was a change and it was [a] surprise for me.  After that, in the third, you know, he put more pressure on my serve, attacking more.  He was serving very regular, pretty well the third, second.  Just congratulate him.  He’s playing really well.

Despite the disappointing result today, Nadal is pleased with his performance the last couple of weeks. The Spaniard hopes that success in terms of the titles is around the corner.

After coming up short at Indian Wells, for the second tournament in a row, Roddick attempts to collect his fifth career Masters’ shield.  Roddick’s last one was in Cincinnati in 2006.  This is the American’s second time in the finals in Miami.  In 2004, he beat Guillermo Coria in the title bout.  On Sunday, Roddick will meet either Robin Soderling or Tomas Berdych.  These two have their semifinal encounter tonight.

For the most part, when Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin meet, the extraordinary performance by these players keeps spectators on the edge of their seats.  In the semifinals at the Sony Ericsson Open last night that was again the case. Still, moments of brilliance by both athletes were overshadowed by too many lows. In an error plagued match, Clijsters outlasted Henin 6-2, 6-7, 7-6 to secure her place in the finals along side Venus Williams.

With a forehand error by Clijsters, Henin got a break point in the opening game of the match.  However, as a result of superior serving, Clijsters held.  After an initial love service game, her next time up, Henin let a 40-15 game get away due to a string of forehand errors.  Thus, Clijsters obtained a break and promptly consolidated. As Henin served at 2-5, because of a volleying mistake, Clijsters arrived at double set point.  With an overhead winner, Clijsters broke Henin and claimed the set.

Clijsters’ domination persisted through the early phase of the second set; she broke Henin to put herself ahead 3-0.  Three games short of a straight sets victory, Clijsters’ play dove.  Serving at 3-1, Clijsters netted a volley and committed a double fault wiping out her break advantage.  Thanks to that invite, Henin equalized the set at 3 all.  Later on, with a return winner, Henin obtained a break for 6-5.  However, because of double faults and errors, Henin wasted a set point.  With a forehand up the line winner, Clijsters squared the set.  Nevertheless, Henin assumed control of the tiebreaker, prolonging the semifinal.

The last set, Henin produced a few sensational backhands to break at love for 2-0.  But, the subsequent game, two double faults, including one at love-40, permitted Clijsters entrance back into the match.  After readily holding, Clijsters broke Henin at love for the second straight time to capture her 4th successive game and a 4-2 lead.  Despite the serve repeatedly let her down, Henin was tenacious.  Henin’s swatted away another break point to stay one break behind at 3-4.  Aided by Clijsters’ double fault and a forehand crosscourt winner, Henin arrived at triple break point.  Because of a miscue by Clijsters, the set was leveled at 4.  Still, Clijsters was equally stubborn.  Her second opportunity, Clijsters broke for 5-4 with a backhand winner .  Yet, serving for the match, Clijsters double faulted on double break point.  Eventually, the set moved on to a tiebreaker.

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The men play today at the Sony Ericsson Open for a spot in the finals. Moreover, both the afternoon and evening sessions have doubles semifinals.

In the first semifinal of the day, Andy Roddick battles Rafael Nadal.  Although Nadal has a 5-2 lead in their series, on hardcourt their record is tied. Tonight in the second semifinal, Robin Soderling and Tomas Berdych play for a berth in the finals.  Soderling leads that match-up 4-2.

The ultimate ATP doubles space will be filled by either the 8th seed, Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski, or the 4th seed, Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi.  In women’s doubles, 3rd seed Nadia Petrova and Samantha Stosur take on Jie Zheng and Yung-Jan
Chang.  The last match of the day features 4th seed Rennae Stubbs and Lisa Raymond versus Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta.

Here is today’s complete schedule :

FRIDAY, APRIL 2

STADIUM start 1:00 PM

[4] R Nadal (ESP) vs [6] A Roddick (USA) – ATP
Y Chan (TPE) / J Zheng (CHN) vs [3] N Petrova (RUS) / S Stosur (AUS) – WTA
[4] M Bhupathi (IND) / M Mirnyi (BLR) vs [8] M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) – ATP

Not Before 7:00 PM
[16] T Berdych (CZE) vs [13] M Youzhny (RUS) or [5] R Soderling (SWE) – ATP
[4] L Raymond (USA) / R Stubbs (AUS) vs G Dulko (ARG) / F Pennetta (ITA) – WTA

At the Sony Ericsson Open, Tomas Berdych and Robin Soderling claimed the remaining semifinal positions.  Berdych pulled his act together against Fernando Verdasco to win 4-6,7-6,6-4.  Conversely, Soderling expedited Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets 6-1,6-4.

In the first set, after Verdasco survived a love-40 game, he worked his way to double break point.  Verdasco broke for a 3-2 advantage.  With that sole break, Verdasco went on to capture the first set.

One of Berdych’s greatest issue was too mistakes on the forehand side.  His initial game of the second set, Berdych dropped serve.  Verdasco then rubbed out a break point to get to 2-0.  But, as Verdasco served at 3-2, Berdych picked on his rival’s backhand to get to double break point.  When Verdasco’s forehand landed long, the set was tied at 3 all.  After double faulting to give Verdasco break point, Berdych maintained serve for a 4-3 edge.  As the set progressed, Berdych found his forehand and forced a tiebreaker.  In carrying the tiebreaker, Berdych sent the match into a third set.

At 3 a piece in the decisive set, with back to back backhand errors, Verdasco faced double break point.  With a spectacular backhand pass, Berdych secured the break for 4-3.  After Berdych consolidated, Verdasco held at love to force him to serve for the match.  With Verdasco’s forehand miscue, Berdych had double match point. Then, with a forehand winner, Berdych seized the victory.

Tonight, Soderling raced through the first set taking it 6-1 against Youzhny.  However, in the second set, Youzhny woke up, making it more compelling.  After Soderling sprinted to a 3-1 lead, Youzhny held at love to keep the deficit to one break.  The following game, Youzhny had break point and capitalized.  Still, Soderling was too much for his rival.  The next game, Soderling wrestled another break from Youzhny and consolidated for 5-3.  Although Youzhny held at love, Soderling guarded serve to claim the match. Soderling and Berdych will square off in the semifinals.  In their head to head series, Soderling leads 4-2.

In doubles action, Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy defeated Nicolas Almagro and Tommy Robredo 6-3,6-0 to advance to the finals.  Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi beat Arnaud Clement and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4,6-7,10-4 in the quarters.  Tomorrow, they will face Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski in the semifinals.

Along with winning majors, Serena Williams has made a habit of hoisting the trophy in Miami, the “5th grand slam”.  In 2005 and 2009, Serena stopped sister Venus Williams from playing in the title match by beating her in the semifinals. Whilst Venus is disappointed that her sibling is unable to compete due to injury, she is perhaps relieved not to have to go through Serena to advance to the finals of the Sony Ericsson Open.  Today, Venus defeated Marion Bartoli 6-3,6-4 to book her space in the finals for the first time since 2001.

After a love hold, Venus got to triple break point when Bartoli double faulted.  Venus converted once Bartoli dumped a backhand crosscourt into the net.  Subsequent to erasing break point, with a backhand down the line winner, Venus extended her lead to 3-0.  In an atypical game where Venus committed two double faults, Bartoli was back on serve at 2-3.  However, after carrying the first point, Bartoli produced three consecutive double faults to hand Venus double break point.  Trying attain deuce, Bartoli contributed a fourth double fault to Venus’ cause, allowing the latter to get to 4-2.  With an easy game punctuated by a forehand winner, Venus consolidated for 5-2.  As Venus served for the set, Bartoli put up a fight.  Still, in the long run, Venus took the first set 6-3.

The second set by pushing Venus into errors, Bartoli broke at love for 3-1.  However, by doing the same the next game to her opponent, Venus got back on serve.  After each woman cancelled break point on her serve, Venus kicked into another gear and secured the break for 5-4.  Then, with two aces and a forehand volley winner, Venus arrived at triple match point.  Venus finally stamped her ticket into the finals when Bartoli’s return went out of bounds.

Since losing in the quarterfinals at the Australia Open to Na Li, Venus is on a 15-0 winning streak.  That includes defending titles back to back in Dubai and Acapulco.  In the Sony Ericsson Open final, Venus will contend with either Kim Clijsters or Justine Henin.  These two will do battle tonight.

Venus holds a 7-2 record versus Henin. But, at their last meeting, the 2007 U.S. Open,  Henin prevailed in straight sets.  Despite a 6-5 mark versus Clijsters, Venus has been on the wrong end their last three encounters including the 2009 U.S. Open.  Irrespective of the adversary that Venus faces, the finals possess all the ingredients for an excellent match.

In the quarterfinals at the Sony Ericsson Open, Andy Roddick quickly dealt with Nicolas Almagro 6-3,6-3 to secure his semifinal spot.  Later that evening, Rafael Nadal put Jo-Wilfried Tsonga out of commission 6-3,6-2  to write his name in the semifinal slot opposite Roddick.

With a lighting service game, Roddick started out the match.  Then, the American quickly broke and consolidated for a 3-0 lead.  After holding service, Almagro took the first two point off Roddick’s serve.  That was for not though. Roddick got his serve on track and stretched his advantage to 4-1.  Giving Almagro no further opportunities on his serve, the one break was the only difference Roddick required to jump ahead one set to none.

The second set, his first time serving, Roddick obliterated two break points to guard serve. Then at 2 all, Roddick captured the break and consolidated for 4-2. Later, at 3-5 as Almagro served to keep the match alive, Roddick arrived at his third set point with a forehand winner.  Roddick bagged the match when Almagro’s backhand traveled long.

That night, subsequent to Tsonga maintaining serve, Nadal double faulted and misfired with the forehand giving the Frenchman break point.  Nadal effaced that by sticking a crosscourt forehand pass.  That same game, Nadal rubbed out two more advantage points by Tsonga to balance the set at 1 all.  The set’s turning point came at 3 all when Tsonga committed an error to eye 15-40.  When Tsonga dumped a backhand volley into the net, Nadal went in front 4-3.  Immediately though, Tsonga pressed Nadal with a myriad of deuces and two break points.  However, the Spaniard did not relent.  Nadal increased his edge to 5-3. Shortly, Nadal broke Tsonga at love to bank the first set.

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At the Sony Ericsson Open today, the women finalists will be determined along with the semifinalists for the top half of the men’s draw.

For the third time, Venus Williams takes on Marion Bartoli. Their head to head stands at one all.  Williams carried their 2007 Wimbledon final match while Bartoli won their last encounter in Stanford in 2009.  In the ultimate session, Kim Clijsters clashes with Justine Henin.  Earlier in the year, they played in the finals in Brisbane.  Clijsters defeated Henin in three sets in what she stated was “ one of . . .  most exciting matches I think that I’ve played [in]  my career . . . we had a great time out there”.

In the initial male quarterfinal, Tomas Berdych faces Fernando Verdasco.  After his amazing triumph over Roger Federer, Berdych attempts to at least equal his best result in Miami, he reached the semifinals in 2008.  Berdych has 5-3 record against Verdasco.  They’ve split their last two meetings.

Mikhail Youzhny and Robin Soderling battle it out for the ultimate semifinal berth.  Soderling has been victorious their last three out of four matches. In Rotterdam this year, Soderling beat Youzhny. Soderling was well on his way to securing the trophy before the Russian retired with a hamstring problem.

In addition, there’s a sprinkling of doubles as Nicolas Almagro and Tommy Robredo square off against Lukas Dlouhy and Leander Paes for a spot in the finals.  Arnaud Clement and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga meet Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi in the quarterfinals.  Last year, Mirnyi won the title with partner Andy Ram.

Here is today’s complete schedule :

THURSDAY, APRIL 1

STADIUM start 1:00 PM
[13] M Bartoli (FRA) vs [3] V Williams (USA) – WTA

Not Before 3:00 PM
[16] T Berdych (CZE) vs [10] F Verdasco (ESP) – ATP
Almagro/Robredo vs [3]Dlouhy/Paes

Starting at 7:00 PM
[13] M Youzhny (RUS) vs [5] R Soderling (SWE) – ATP

Not Before 9:00 PM
[14] K Clijsters (BEL) vs [WC] J Henin (BEL) – WTA

COURT 2 Not before 4:30 pm
Clement/Tsonga vs. [4]Bhupathi/Mirnyi

Because this was their initial career meeting, Justine Henin was a bit anxious about her quarterfinal opponent at the Sony Ericsson Open, Caroline Wozniacki.  Nevertheless, the former world number one and multiple major winner as customary figured it out.  Henin ousted the second seed in three sets 6-7,6-3,6-4.

Henin struck initially, breaking Wozniacki the first game of the match.  Although the world number two swiftly returned the favor, in Wozniacki’s second game, with a forehand volley winner Henin had break point.  Justine converted when Wozniacki’s forehand sailed long.  After consolidating for 3-1, Henin found herself on the ropes in the 6th game, double break point down.  Henin dropped that game to equalize the set at 3 all. Towards the end, the players traded breaks, sending the set to a tiebreaker whereby Wozniacki took a one set lead in the match.

In the second set, after both women held serve comfortably, Wozniacki double faulted to give Henin break point.  Still, the teenager calmly brushed that aside and got to 3 all.  Henin reciprocated the next game, wiping out two break points.  On the change over, dealing with a lower back injury, Henin called for medical attention.  When Henin got back to business with a return winner, she set up double break point.  Justine obtained the 5-3 edge when Wozniacki made a backhand crosscourt miscue. The next game, with a forehand winner, Henin seized the set.

The third set, after Wozniacki committed a forehand error on game point, she attempted to volley off an overhead by Henin but failed. Now with break point, Henin forced Wozniacki into a backhand crosscourt error.  Following that, Henin consolidated for 3-1.  From that point on, both players cruised on serve.  With Wozniacki unable to fabricate a break point, on triple match point, Henin closed out the match with her signature stroke, the backhand down the line.

After the match, MiamiTennisNews.com inquired the following from Henin:
Q.  Is it difficult to come up with a strategy when you face a player for the first time?
HENIN:  Yeah, it’s always difficult.  Especially now that I’m coming back, I like to know a little bit about what can happen.  When you face someone that you [have] never played in the past, you don’t have any [reference].  You just look [for] your confidence on the court and how to feel comfortable with the game she gives. So I do prefer to play someone that I know better.

Although it’s been three years since Kim Clijsters and Samantha Stosur last played, Clijsters didn’t seem unimpressed with her rival’s much improved game.  Clijsters dispatched Stosur in straight sets 6-3,7-5.

After holding serve at love, Clijsters provoked three consecutive miscues from Stosur for triple break point.  When Stosur sliced a backhand into the net, Clijsters pocketed the break.  Subsequently, Clijsters consolidated for a 3-0 lead.  Despite Stosur guarding serve, Clijsters refused to permit her back in the set. Ultimately, Clijsters wrapped things up with a love game.

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