Twice this week at the Monte Carlo Masters, Novak Djokovic has dropped the first set. Today against the No. 6-seed, Tomas Berdych, Djokovic looked particularly out of sorts. Up a break and 4-2 in the first set, the world No. 1 proceeded to drop four straight games and lose the set, 6-4. But even with a world of hurt working against him, the stubborn Serb was able to reverse the stormy tide of the match and upend Berdych, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Djokovic's beloved grandfather, Vladimir, passed away just two days ago, but that wasn't all that was weighing heavy on his mind. A stiff wind was swirling clay dust on the court and Djokovic looked frailer than ever and agitated well beyond just a first-set raking. He walked about in a deep funk, cracking racket frames and twisting his face into grim expressions. Two rounds earlier, the mercurial Alexandr Dolgopolov blitzed Djokovic 6-2 in the first set, only to be turned back 6-1, 6-4. Today, with the big Czech riding his impressive upset of No. 3 seed Andy Murray in the quarters and only losing one point off his first serve in the first set, Djokovic's chance for another comeback looked much bleaker.
But going away quietly is not in the Djokovic lexicon or psyche. He quickly broke Berdych in his first service game of the second set on a beautiful arching forehand lob that landed just inside the Czech's backhand corner baseline. Berdych ran the lob down, but Djokovic was up at net with a backhand then forehand volley that Berdych netted. Playing in front of Prince Albert of Monaco, Djokovic, the Dark Prince, then saved three break points to go up 3-0. From there, he was on cruise control, attacking Berdych's forehand wing, where the Czech is sometimes slow to cover.
Berdych is a confounding player. He has a beautiful power game, but seems to lack the inner belief to close out a player of Djokovic's caliber in most big matches. His only win against the Serb in 10 chances, came in the 2010 Wimbledon semifinals. It quickly became apparent in the final set, when Berdych hit successive forehand and backhand unforced errors to go down two breaks at 0-3, that today was not going to be a repeat of his Wimbledon upset. In all, the Czech struck 37 unforced errors and was a woeful 2-of-10 in break point chances, but it was Djokovic's stubbornness that ruled the day. An equally stubborn Rafael Nadal will likely be Djokovic's final opponent — if the seven-time champion beats Gilles Simon in the semfinals.