Stanislas Wawrinka has returned to form in remarkable fashion with a 58-minute demolition of Tomas Berdych.
Wawrinka has endured a disappointing second half to the year but he displayed the kind of form that saw him win the Australian Open in January against a despondent Berdych on Monday afternoon.
The Swiss number two powered to a 6-1 6-1 triumph, dropping just five points on serve against the Czech, who didn't record a single winner off the ground in the entire match.
Read below to see how the match unfolded at the O2 Arena in London.
Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's coverage of the ATP World Tour Finals encounter between Stanislas Wawrinka and Tomas Berdych.
After Kei Nishikori and Roger Federer opened the tournament with victories on day one, it's the turn of Wawrinka and Berdych to get day two underway. The two players have made their way onto court, with Wawrinka getting a huge ovation.
Wawrinka has won the toss and he has elected to serve first. The suggestion for the exceptional backing of Wawrinka is that Federer supporters block-book the seats to try to catch a glimpse of the 33-year-old, but it's the Swiss number two that will be getting their support today.
The head-to-head stats don't make for good reading if you are a Berdych fan. He has lost his last four encounters with Wawrinka, including at this tournament 12 months ago. However, that's not to say we shouldn't get a competitive match today. Neither man has won in straight sets in their last six contests, while Berdych comes into the match in much better form than Wawrinka, who has endured a frustrating second half to the year.
The other two players in this group - Novak Djokovic and Marin Cilic - play this evening. Given Djokovic's recent displays, you'd think that the other three are playing for second place behind the world number one, which makes this meeting all the more important. The loser of this tie is likely to need to beat the defending champion to have a chance of progressing through to the last four.
The two players have completed their warm-up and are ready to get this showdown underway. As I mentioned earlier, it will be Wawrinka to serve first.
Wawrinka doesn't hang around in powering two first serves at Berdych that the Czech can't return and that soon becomes 40-0 when Berdych sends a forehand wide down the line. A love service hold is completed when Berdych nets and that should do the Swiss the world of good.
BREAK! Berdych gets his first point on the board when he uses his huge reach to volley into the corner but Wawrinka has come out aggressively and he middles a backhand to draw the error. Berdych records the first ace of the match but Wawrinka is peppering the Berdych backhand and it's paying off so far. The Australian Open champion nails a return back at his opponent for break point which is converted when Berdych drills a forehand wide.
This is superb from Wawrinka. Three first serves fail to be returned by Berdych and although the Swiss misses with a cross-court forehand, another mammoth delivery takes him into a 3-0 lead.
BREAK! Berdych shows more signs of nerves with two forehands into the tramlines to gift Wawrinka 0-30 and that becomes 0-40 when another forehand goes long. It's three break points to Wawrinka, and he takes the first with a tremendous return that catches out Berdych. It's been a nightmare start for the Czech player.
Wawrinka sneaks into the net to put away a volley for 30-0 but Berdych gets a look in when his opponent hooks a backhand into the tramlines. It's a minor blip, though, and Wawrinka middles a forehand into the corner and Berdych hasn't got a response. Ruthlessly efficient.
A double fault from Berdych continues his disastrous opening but a first serve levels matters at 15-15. He finds a bit of rhythm in moving to two game points but he has no answer to a stunning forehand return from Wawrinka for 40-30. The Swiss still has eyes for the bagel and he draws a mistake out of Berdych to get to deuce. Berdych is forced to save a set point but he avoids the bagel and gets on the board when Wawrinka hits long.
SET! Wawrinka looks unstoppable on serve. Two unreturned serves and a serve-and-volley earn him three set points, but Berdych saves the first after swatting back a return. However, the set is sealed when Wawrinka correctly challenges an out-call to win the first set in 25 minutes.
While we give Berdych a chance to consider the changes that he must make to get back into this match, I will take the opportunity to plug the tennis competition that we are currently running at Sports Mole We have joined forces with Wimbledon Debenture Holders to give you a chance to £250's worth of tennis lessons. All the details can be found by clicking here.
Wow, what has someone done with the old Berdych? The former Wimbledon runner-up returns from the break with a love service hold. He was helped out by Wawrinka missing an easy forehand for 0-15, but he looks far more confident there.
Three more efficient points are won by Wawrinka for 40-0 before he seals a love service hold of his own with a backhand down the line that catches the line.
BREAK! There's trouble for Berdych when he dumps a volley into the net to concede 0-30 to a rampant Wawrinka, but a super one-two behind his first serve halves the deficit. The big-hitting Czech shows encouraging signs in fighting back to 40-30 but he nets a smash when given the chance of edging back in front. Berdych saves two break points, but he can't save a third after Wawrinka powers a backhand down the line that his opponent can only send long of the baseline.
Wawrinka's volleying has been top notch so far and he executes another with ease for 15-0. Berdych sends more first serve returns off target to hand three game points to Wawrinka and yet another love hold is confirmed when Berdych floats a forehand wide.
BREAK! After the first two points are shared, Berdych lashes a cross-court forehand wide of the tramline for 15-30 but he levels the game with a venomous first serve out wide. Berdych gets to game point but Wawrinka connects with a sublime forehand winner. Berdych looks demoralised after punching a routine forehand long and the end could be near if he loses this point. He saves the first break point, but Wawrinka achieves the double break with a punishing forehand winner and another unforced error from Berdych.
A strong serve out wide and an ace takes Wawrinka to 30-0 but he goes for too much on a forehand on the next point. He's maybe getting a little carried away but he has the cushion to justify it. Another error gives Berdych his only opening of the match but an ace and backhand drop volley move him one game away from the match after just 55 minutes.
MATCH! A magnificent backhand volley - his second in a row - and a double fault from Berdych allow Wawrinka to see the finish line at 15-30 and that target looks closer when a forehand from the Czech goes long. Wawrinka has two match points to bring Berdych's miserable afternoon to an end and he does just that with a forehand return that sees Berdych net. Brutal.
As far as tennis performances go, that was as good as it gets. Stanislas Wawrinka has demolished Tomas Berdych in 58 minutes to stamp down a marker that he is ready to challenge for this title.
The margin of victory means that Berdych is out of this competition unless he beats Djokovic and Cilic. He probably has to do it in straight sets too. Tough ask, huh? A damning statistic from this match is that the Czech never hit a single winner off the ground.
That will be all from Sports Mole's coverage of this encounter but fear not - we will be back for Djokovic vs. Cilic at around 8pm tonight. See you all then!
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
