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Tomas Berdych serves against Nicolas Almagro

DAVIS CUP WORLD GROUP FINAL 2012

BERDYCH LEVELS DAVIS CUP FINAL; FERRER WINS FIRST POINT

Prague, Czech Republic

by ATP Staff  |  16.11.2012

World No. 6 Tomas Berdych battled past 11th-ranked Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 on Friday in Prague to level the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Final between the Czech Republic and Spain to a 1-1 score heading into Saturday’s doubles rubber.

Playing in front of a lively home crowd, Berdych had an opportunity to close out Almagro in four sets with a break lead, but the Spaniard fought back, and won the ensuing tie-break to force a fifth set. Up 4-2, Berdych again relinquished a break advantage in the decider, but regrouped to break Almagro for the fifth time and serve out the match. He prevailed in three hours and 58 minutes.

“It's our first point and that's all. I'm extremely happy for that,” said Berdych. “To play with this crowd on my back is an amazing feeling. I was enjoying everything on court... I think that the human body is a really strong engine. I will give everything I have. I just need to get ready again. Tomorrow is another day.”

Berdych improved to 9-3 against Almagro overall and has won five of their six meetings this year, which include fourth-round victories at the Australian Open and US Open. Undefeated in his nine Davis Cup matches in 2012 (6 singles, 3 doubles), Berdych is looking to lead the Czech Republic its first title since 1980.

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Tomas Berdych in action against Nicolas Almagro

Ester Satorova cheers on Tomas Berdych

Tomas Berdych in action against Nicolas Almagro (TV Captures)

DAVIS CUP BY BNP PARIBAS WORLD GROUP FINAL: SPAIN v CZECH REPUBLIC

November 16, 2012

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

T. BERDYCH/N. Almagro

6 3, 3 6, 6 3, 6 7, 6 3

THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  Tomas, are you tired?  Are you going to play tomorrow?

TOMAS BERDYCH:  Tricky question.  What do you think?

Q.  I think yes.

TOMAS BERDYCH:  Yeah, so definitely I will be there tomorrow.  That's the first thing.

The other thing is, well, yeah, I'm tired.  Of course, we play four hours.  But to be tired is the one thing, but to be not ready for the next match is another thing.  So I'm ready for the next one.  I hope that I'm going to be even stronger tomorrow.

Q.  Was there any point in that match when you didn't think you would win?

TOMAS BERDYCH:  Well, I mean, I was quite ahead all the time.  I mean, won the first set, losing the second set, won the third set, I had many chances in the fourth set.  Unfortunately, just one mistake cost me to lose the fourth set.  The same thing in the fifth.  I was the first one who break him up.  Then I lost my serve.  Then again I break him.

So I was all the way ahead of him.  So, no, I was feeling good until the end.

Q.  Was that a major advantage, serving first in the last set?

TOMAS BERDYCH:  I think yes.  Especially on this kind of surface, it's kind of an advantage because you have a one game kind of advantage that you are ahead.

Most likely in the fourth set was not the rule that whoever starts serving won the set.

So, yeah, it was an advantage.

Q.  Tomas, they talk about home advantage.  How important was the crowd in that fifth set?

TOMAS BERDYCH:  Yeah, it was not only in the fifth set.  But the crowd is amazing.  As I said on the beginning, it's our fifth player in the team.  So they help me, us, all the team, a lot.

You know, there is not the energy to waste, you know, around.  They give you some extra.  You know, it's such a great feeling to play in front of them.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports