Tomas Berdych is ready to get his new season started at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship (MWTC) in Abu Dhabi and is looking forward to testing himself against Rafael Nadal.
Berdych, 31, won one ATP title during the 2016 season, in Shenzhen, and saw his ranking drop from No 6 at the start of the year to his current standing of No 10, thus missing out on the ATP World Tour Finals in London for the first time since 2009.
The Czech fared well in the grand slams, reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian and French Opens and the semi-finals of Wimbledon, although appendicitis ruled him out of the US Open.
Berdych will start his season at Zayed Sports City for a third time and has said he is raring to kick-start his season with a strong showing in the UAE capital.
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“I’m ready to get the tournament underway and, looking at the line-up this year, I feel that it could be a really interesting run of matches for me,” he said. “What’s great about this tournament is that because of the guys you play, the matches feel like the later stages of a grand slam from Day 1 so we bring our best game all three days.
“I’ve felt good this year, so I hope Abu Dhabi will give me the extra boost to the 2017 season that I need.”
Berdych will take on three-time and defending MWTC champion Nadal in the later quarter-final on the opening day, December 29, following Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s match against David Goffin.
Nadal is a regular at MWTC, with this upcoming tournament the Spaniard’s eighth visit to the capital. It will also be the first chance for tennis fans to see Nadal in action since October following his decision to end his season early to focus on recovering from a persistent wrist injury.
“This will be Rafa’s eighth time in Abu Dhabi, so it is a tournament he obviously enjoys coming to,” Berdych said. “For me, it’s the perfect opener to any season and I could not have asked for a better first opponent to test my game against than the current champion.”
Day 2 of the tournament will host the semi-finals, with the winner of Berdych’s clash against Nadal facing world No 4 Milos Raonic. World No 1 Andy Murray awaits the victor of the other quarter-final.
The third-fourth play-off kicks off the action on New Year’s Eve, followed by the final.
For more information about the 2016 Mubadala Tennis World Championship and to purchase tickets, visit: www.mubadalawtc.com.
* The National staff
TOURNAMENT SCHEUDLE
December 29 (from 5pm)
1. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs David Goffin
2. Rafael Nadal vs Tomas Berdych
December 30 (from 5pm)
1. Andy Murray vs Tsonga/Goffin
2. Milos Raonic vs Nadal/Berdych
December 31
1. 3rd/4th place play-off (1pm)
2. Final (3pm)
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