WIMBLEDON, July 2 (Agencies): Tomas Berdych has swept Novak Djokovic in straight sets at Wimbledon to reach his first Grand Slam final.
The 12th-seeded Czech, who upset six-time champion Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, kept up his sparkling run with a 6-3, 7-6 (9), 6-3 win on Friday over the third-ranked Serb on Centre Court.
Berdych�s opponent in Sunday�s final will be the winner of the second semifinal between Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.
The 24-year-old Berdych is the first Czech to reach the men�s final at the All England Club since Ivan Lendl in 1987. The only Czech to win the men�s title was Jan Kodes in 1973.
Meanwhile, Vera Zvonareva has never played in a Grand Slam final before. At No. 21, the Russian is the second-lowest ranked player ever to reach the Wimbledon women�s final. Her opponent is the world�s top-ranked player Serena Williams and they will clash in the women�s final tomorrow.
Nothing to worry about then.
�I don�t care what everyone says,� the 25-year-old Zvonareva said. �I know if I can play my best tennis I can beat anyone on the other side of the net. That�s what I�m going to try to do on Saturday. I never look at any odds or comparisons. It�s not important to me.�
Standing on the other side of the net will be none other than defending champion and 12-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams.
�I�m hoping to still peak in the final,� said Williams, a scary thought from someone who hasn�t dropped a set in six matches and has served a Wimbledon record 80 aces.
Williams will be playing in her sixth Wimbledon final and 13th Grand Slam title match, and knows Centre Court at the All England Club as well as anyone in the game.
�On paper it looks like I should win,� Williams said. �But Vera, she�s beaten some good people. Her last two matches she�s been down a set, so she�s obviously a fighter. She never gives up. The biggest thing for me is to stay positive and not put too much pressure on myself.�
Williams eliminated 62nd-ranked Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic 7-6 (5), 6-2 on Thursday, while Zvonareva rallied to beat No. 82 Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
It might be refreshing for Serena to face a different opponent for the title. She has played sister Venus in four finals, winning in 2002, 2003 and 2009 and losing in 2008.
Venus was knocked out in the quarterfinals this week by Pironkova, but Serena�s victory means at least one of the sisters has advanced to the final for the 10th time in 11 years.
Serena has a 12-3 record in Grand Slam finals and has beaten Zvonareva in five of their previous six matches.
WIMBLEDON, July 2 (Agencies): Tomas Berdych has swept Novak Djokovic in straight sets at Wimbledon to reach his first Grand Slam final.
The 12th-seeded Czech, who upset six-time champion Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, kept up his sparkling run with a 6-3, 7-6 (9), 6-3 win on Friday over the third-ranked Serb on Centre Court.
Berdych�s opponent in Sunday�s final will be the winner of the second semifinal between Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.
The 24-year-old Berdych is the first Czech to reach the men�s final at the All England Club since Ivan Lendl in 1987. The only Czech to win the men�s title was Jan Kodes in 1973.
Meanwhile, Vera Zvonareva has never played in a Grand Slam final before. At No. 21, the Russian is the second-lowest ranked player ever to reach the Wimbledon women�s final. Her opponent is the world�s top-ranked player Serena Williams and they will clash in the women�s final tomorrow.
Nothing to worry about then.
�I don�t care what everyone says,� the 25-year-old Zvonareva said. �I know if I can play my best tennis I can beat anyone on the other side of the net. That�s what I�m going to try to do on Saturday. I never look at any odds or comparisons. It�s not important to me.�
Standing on the other side of the net will be none other than defending champion and 12-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams.
�I�m hoping to still peak in the final,� said Williams, a scary thought from someone who hasn�t dropped a set in six matches and has served a Wimbledon record 80 aces.
Williams will be playing in her sixth Wimbledon final and 13th Grand Slam title match, and knows Centre Court at the All England Club as well as anyone in the game.
�On paper it looks like I should win,� Williams said. �But Vera, she�s beaten some good people. Her last two matches she�s been down a set, so she�s obviously a fighter. She never gives up. The biggest thing for me is to stay positive and not put too much pressure on myself.�
Williams eliminated 62nd-ranked Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic 7-6 (5), 6-2 on Thursday, while Zvonareva rallied to beat No. 82 Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
It might be refreshing for Serena to face a different opponent for the title. She has played sister Venus in four finals, winning in 2002, 2003 and 2009 and losing in 2008.
Venus was knocked out in the quarterfinals this week by Pironkova, but Serena�s victory means at least one of the sisters has advanced to the final for the 10th time in 11 years.
Serena has a 12-3 record in Grand Slam finals and has beaten Zvonareva in five of their previous six matches.
