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SONY ERICSSON OPEN

April 2, 2010

Tomas Berdych

MIAMI, FLORIDA

T. BERDYCH/R. Soderling
6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You must be very proud to be in the final since Lendl in 1999.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, of course. To be in the final of tournament like this, that's always nice. It's always nice. But still, it's one more match to go. Really looking forward to that.
You know, it's gonna be one day off to get rest a little bit, some practice, and just go for it on the Sunday. Try my best tennis on the Sunday.

Q. The last two times you met Robin, one was in Sunrise in a challenger series here, and Kuala Lumpur. He pretty much beat you handily. How did you change your game plan or tactics today?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, I mean, it was I would say pretty simple. Both of those matches he was playing really aggressive, and I was just, you know, waiting for some mistakes or something and give him too much time to just do on the court whatever he wants.
So this time I just need to play more aggressive. You know, step a little bit more into the court, try to play faster and a little longer shots against him, and just not give him too much time.
Then all the errors can come. That's what happened today. I was serving pretty good today. But I would say really key point was in the first game when I was breakpoint down. You know, maybe if this game just he took and starts really strong, the match could be different.
It wasn't, so I'm happy for that.

Q. I guess the last Czech in the final here was Ivan Lendl. How had much contact with him over the years? Is he someone you admired growing up?
TOMAS BERDYCH: No, I'm not too much in contact with him because he's living in States and I'm not too often here, just for tournaments. So I'm not in contact with him.
And, yeah, I mean, another Czech in the final. I don't know if he won or not.

Q. Twice.
TOMAS BERDYCH: All right. I will try to be as him, and we will see on Sunday.

Q. You've had quite a week. What's been the secret? What's been happening out there for you?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Today?

Q. The entire tournament. What's been the reason for your success?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, I would say it's not only from this week, you know. It's just -- I think I just starts to build a little bit before. It's not only about one or two weeks.
So I already start to feel right on the Davis Cup week, you know, when you always had a good preparation, good time for rest, everything, then just the matches on the weekend. So there I play really well.
Then just came to Indian Wells playing another pretty good matches there. You know, all those matches just build your confidence, you know, that you feel well on the court and that you can really hit the ball well.
That's what happening so far. There are so many small things that if you just put together which makes this pretty good game for me.

Q. You an Andy, Andy's 5-2 against you. He beat you like the last three times. What do you expect? Power game. Not gonna see a lot of finesse and chips, are you?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, of course. The game against Andy is always really close. Big serving guy playing really solid from the baseline. The matches what we played in the past few months I would say was really close ones, especially the one in San Jose. I just lost two points in each set and I lost two tiebreaks.
So it's gonna be I think really similar scenario on Sunday. But you never know. It's a final, final of the big tournament, so we will see.

Q. You played two pretty tough matches this week: three hours against Federer and almost three hours against Verdasco. Do you think that's gonna be a factor in the final on Sunday? Andy's obviously much fresher than you are.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, I would say that I'm really happy that I can finish today not to play that long match, again, you know, after those two.
Really I was feeling well today. I was quite surprised. I was expecting that it's gonna be a really tough one today.
But my body feels well. I'm in good shape. So another day off just to get some more rest, just some practice, and get ready for Sunday.

Q. Do you feel like your success lately has been due to your mental attitude, that it's been more positive than in the past?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yes, of course. That's really important thing for the game for me. But, you know, this thing is tough to be improving, you know, like in couple of weeks, months, or something like that.
This is really thing that you just get older, you just get more experience; all those things together can help you with this.
Of course, trying to work on it. I'm very happy that it works, and I hope that it can be just better and better. That's what I need.

Q. Go to any Panther's games this week? I know you're a big hockey fan.
TOMAS BERDYCH: No time. Not much time to go just sit and watch the ice hockey whole night.

Q. You were at the very high level already in 2005. Why you not being so great in rankings, because you deserve far better, as we can see? What makes you be a good top 20 and not very good top 10?
TOMAS BERDYCH: You know, that's really tough question. I mean, what can you say? I was trying same as I'm trying right now, and right now I'm playing really well. I'm doing pretty good.
You know, but still, it's the beginning of the year, so, well, we will see what's gonna happen maybe after the half of the season or end of the year.
So, you know, that's what I was talking about. It's the same thing like if Murray lost, Djokovic lost, Nadal lost. Tennis is really getting close. All those guys are pretty strong, so it's about just small, small things, small differences.
That's what I was talking right here, you know, that all the mental thing just come together with your age and more experience and everything.
I start to a little bit work more on, you know, like fitness and physical movement on the court, which is not just the thing about one, two month or something like that.
All the things need to come together. Right now it's happening. I'm happy for that.
So all that is past and don't have to think about it anymore.

Q. Did you feel at the moment you're close to breaking into that top 8 group?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, of course. I mean, that's why I'm here. That's why I'm trying to play my best tennis, trying to fight every match, every point. So far it's working well.
You know, you can lost a match in one, two points. Imagine if I'm gonna just lost match points against Roger. Yeah, that would be nice week, but still not enough.
It's about small things. It's not that you can sit with your coach and say, We gonna do this differently and it's gonna work and be fine.
Of course I'm trying my best. I'm trying to be there. But there is another I don't know how many players who's trying to be as high as me that's always fight for it.

Q. Have you had any chance to text anyone or call anyone at home?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, of course. I mean, every after match I'm just talking with my family and friends at home. But not yet now.
I'm just right now straight from the match and from shower. So after here, I'm gonna just speak with them.

End of FastScripts

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