Rafael Nadal Rampages Into ATP's London Semifinals

Rafael Nadal got mad. Then he got even more ferocious.

Angered by a chair umpire's ruling at 5-6, a raging Nadal erupted in a rare flash of temper, then rampaged into the Tennis-Scores.aspx#inscore_ifheight_xdc_500" target="_blank">ATP World Tour Finals semifinals, winning seven of the final eight games in a 7-6(3), 6-1 triumph over Tomas Berdych in a rematch of the Wimbledon final at the O2 Arena In London today.

A year after he failed to win a set in the season-ending event, the top-seeded Spaniard, who beat Andy Roddick and Novak Djokovic earlier in the week, completed round-robin play with a 3-0 record to clinch the Group A title and secure a spot in Saturday's semifinals against Andy Murray, who emerged from Group B. 

Murray is the only man to beat Nadal in a Grand Slam tournament this year, holding a 6-3, 7-6(2), 3-0 lead over Nadal when the muscular Mallorcan retired from their Australian Open quarterfinal in January.

Nadal avenged that loss with a straight-sets sweep in the Wimbledon semifinals en route to his eighth career major championship. Nadal has won eight of 12 meetings against the fifth-ranked Scot, who is projected to surpass Robin Soderling and regain the World No. 4 ranking when the new ATP Tour rankings are released on Monday.

Group A champion Roger Federer could face Djokovic in the other semifinal if Djokovic wins at least one set against Roddick in today's final round-robin match. However, if Roddick defeats Djokovic in straight sets, then Roddick advances to the final four.

To call Nadal's recent run against Berdych favorable would be as vaguely misleading as referring to Big Ben as a pocket watch. Nadal entered the match having won 17 straight sets against the 6'5" Czech and holding an 8-3 advantage in their career clashes. However, Berdych had split six career hard-court matches with Nadal and came out playing aggressive tennis.

The big-hitting Berdych stood toe-to-toe with Nadal for virtually the entire opening set. Berdych knocked off a running backhand volley winner to earn double break point at 15-40 in the second game.

Nadal saved the first with a whipping forehand for 30-40 and followed with an ace. Nadal held for 1-all when Berdych scattered a backhand down the line wide. 

The action intensified when Nadal uncharacteristically erupted in a rare display of anger while serving at 5-6, 15-all.

A Berdych drive near the baseline prompted Nadal to raise his index finger either indicating the ball landed long or issuing a challenge. Chair umpire Carlos Bernardes immediately called the ball out. Berdych challenged the call and Hawk Eye replay showed his shot grazed the back of the baseline. Bernardes announced the score as 15-30 in favor of Berdych.

Speaking rapidly in Spanish and gesturing with his hand, Nadal argued the point should be replayed, but Bernardes instead awarded the point to Berdych, pointing out Nadal had stopped play and raised his index finger. 

Though Nadal only contested the call for a couple of minutes, he was clearly angered by the decision, and when he lashed a forehand down the line to draw even at 30-all, Nadal unleashed that emotion with a furious fist pump.

That sequence marked the beginning of the end for Berdych, who simply could not match Nadal's ferocity. When Berdych's backhand return went wide, Nadal held after deuce for 6-all. He would win seven of the final eight games.

Nadal jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the tiebreaker and extended to 5-2 with a service winner. A Berdych double fault gave Nadal set points. Two points later, Nadal flattened a forehand winner down the line to collect his 18th consecutive set against Berdych.

Unable to penetrate Nadal from the baseline, Berdych dumped an abysmal forehand drop shot into net to surrender the service break and fall behind 1-3 in the second set.

Two games later, Berdych hit an apparent double fault to drop serve and fall behind 1-5. Hawk Eye showed Berdych's second serve actually touched the back edge of the service line, but the disconsolate Czech, who looked beaten at that point, did not bother to challenge.

Nadal served out the one hour, 54-minute victory to wrap up his first undefeated round-robin turn in season-ending play and reach the tournament final four for the first time since 2007.  The nine-time Grand Slam champion is aiming for his first trip to the season-ending final.

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