By Erik Gudris | Sunday, October 19, 2014
Despite dropping the first set, Tomas Berdych rallied to win his second title season in Stockholm and keep his London qualification hopes alive.
Photo Credit: AP
Top seed Tomas Berdych overcame dropping the first set to win his second title this season at the IF Stockholm Open. And perhaps, even more important, Berdych added more points in his quest to secure a qualification berth for the upcoming ATP Tour Finals in London.
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Someone with his own hopes for making it to London was Stockholm defending champion Grigor Dimitrov. Sunday's final pitted the two men against each other and it was Dimitrov who looked ready to reclaim the title.
Dimitrov had to work for the first set after he threw in a bad service game at 3-all. Berdych broke for 4-3 and served for the set later at 5-4. Yet Berdych blinked in the crucial game and handed his break back for 5-all.
The Bulgarian then used his trademark shotmaking to gain the advantage. A lunging get from Dimitrov resulted in a lob that landed right on the baseline in front of a scrambling Berdych. That gave Dimitrov two set points. He converted on one when Berdych sent a smash into the net.
Dimitrov celebrated taking the set 7-5.
Berdych didn't let that lost set weigh on him too long. The Czech secured an early break in the second set and used it to win the set and force a decider.
Berdych again broke early in the final set and faced little resistance in his service games from an increasingly dejected looking Dimitrov. Serving big and using his forehand with piercing effectiveness, Berdych soon served for the title at 5-4.
With a final big serve on match point, Berdych clinched the 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win for his 10th career title.
Despite the hard fought match, both men congratulated each other's efforts.
"It was a great fight & it was the best match at the end. I was the luckier one today," Berdych said during the trophy ceremony.
"Thanks for the fight, Tomas. I really mean it," Dimitrov added with a laugh.
Stockholm is now the second title of the season for Berdych who won Rotterdam earlier in the year. The victory also keeps Berdych in seventh place overall for qualification for the upcoming ATP London finals.