Four-Time Indian Wells Winner Federer Meets Berdych

Four-time Indian Wells Masters winner Roger Federer will take on Tomas Berdych in the quarter-final of the 2015 tournament tomorrow. Federer failed to capture his fifth title last year, losing out to world number one Novak Djokovic in the competition`s final (3-6, 6-3, 7-6), but will look to regain the crown he last picked up back in 2012.

His opponent tomorrow has never reached the final of the Paribas Open, but recorded his best finish in the competition in 2013 when reaching the semi-final. He lost out in this last four tie 6-4, 7-5 to Rafael Nadal who would go on to beat Juan Martin del Potro in the final. Last year, Czech Berdych exited the competition at the second round stage.

The two men have played each other a full 18 times in ATP competitions, all these matches being fought out over a 10 year period from 2004 to 2014. The pair`s head-to-head record reads 12-6 in the Swiss player`s favour. On hard court surfaces, their results have been much more evenly earned with Federer having won seven hard court ties to Berdych`s five.

As a result of this on-court dominance, it is the 33-year-old Basel-born player who is the current favourite to take this match and progress through to the tournament`s semi-final. Federer can be backed at the best price of 4/9, that available with sportingbet. His opponent, who is four years his junior, is available for selection at odds of 2/1. This price is the best price on the market and is commonly available.

The pair`s last game on hard came in the final of the 2014 Dubai Duty Free Championships, a game that Federer took in three sets. The world number two got off to a suspect start after losing the opener 6-3 before securing the second set by six games to four. He sealed the win by taking the third 6-3. This was one of two occasions on hard that Federer has been able to fight back from letting slip of the first set. sportingbet has the best price of 11/2 on the 84-time ATP title winner being able to come back after losing the opener. Berdych has also twice performed the same feat on hard against tomorrow`s rival. william hill`s 17/2 says that he will lose the first set but win the entire match.

Of his seven hard court victories over the world number nine, five of Federer`s wins have been achieved in straight sets. Again, Sportingbet have the best price on the Swiss player coming up trumps without dropping a set, that being available at 23/20. Berdych has only ever beaten his rival in straights sets once, so his supporters may well prefer to back him at 23/4 with Bwin to win in three sets, rather than take the 11/2 on offer with boylesports on him seeing off the 6`1" 17-time Grand Slam victor in straight sets.

Federer has beaten all his Paribas Open opponents in straight sets this year. This streak began in the second round against 22-year-old Argentinean Diego Schwartzman (6-4, 6-2) and continued into round three against Andreas Seppi (6-3, 6-4) and Jack Sock in round four (6-3, 6-2).

Federer will be looking to obtain his third yearly title after retaining his Dubai Duty Free crown and beating Milos Raonic (6-4, 6-7, 6-4) in the final of the Brisbane Open tournament at the start of the year.

Berdych is yet to get his hands on an ATP trophy this year though the 10 title victor has seen off Sergy Stakhovsky (6-1, 6-4), Steve Johnson (6-4, 6-2) and Lukas Rosol (6-2, 4-6, 6-4) in this competition.

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19/03/2015     © Frixo 2026