Dubai. World No. 13 and former two-time finalist Tomas Berdych is confident he can build up on his success as a tennis player well into his 30s, just like some of the game’s greats including Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Making his eleventh appearance at this week’s Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open, Berdych — who will turn 32 later this year — is hoping to start building afresh after taking on board former top player Goran Ivanisevic as his coach since last year. The Czech has a 22-10 win-loss record in Dubai, and now wants to make a fresh sort of start with slightly altered goals.
“Honestly, for me to just be playing tennis is a huge gift. I would like to build from the base and just keep fit so that I can continue playing for a long time to come,” Berdych told media after the draws ceremony on Saturday.
Seeded No. 5, the 31-year-old Berdych will face one of three qualifiers who are scheduled to come through after Sunday’s final round of qualifying. “Goran [Ivanisevic] has been a very important part of my team. I can already see some changes in my game because he comes in with so much experience, both as a player and now as coach,” Berdych said.
“He is there to help me improve. So right now I am focused on only trying to play the best I can and the good results will come. It is easy to aim for the big targets like Grand Slams and the Masters etc. But the main thing now is to start afresh and see how far I can go with all the experience I have as a player,” he added.
Berdych started off 2017 with a semi-final loss in straight sets against Andy Murray at the Qatar Open and followed it up with a third round loss to Roger Federer at the season’s first Grand Slam in Melbourne two weeks later. Last week, the Czech once again fell in the semi-final, this time going down to Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Rotterdam Open.
“Even though my tennis was good overall from the start of the season, maybe it was not too ideal facing Roger [Federer] in the third round at the Australian Open. I fully understand that there is goal-setting and then there is the reality. But I still think that I am off to a good start, and it is important for me to keep the matches on, keep improving and move forward,” Berdych insisted.
“Age, after all, is just a figure to me. I am happy to continue like this as long as the body feels good and fresh. I am one of the lucky ones I would say to be playing a sport that I love so much, and where I don’t need to think too much, except maybe just go out there on court and give it my best shot,” he added.
