Quarterfinal. Tomas Berdych

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[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-microphone”] Match Recap from Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open

[WC] Tomas Berdych -71- (CZE) def Pierre-Hugues Herbert -55- (FRA)

This year’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open features three specific storylines:

[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] World #1 Novak Djokovic’s return to Doha after capturing back-back-back titles in 2016 and 2017 [vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Comeback trails of Tomas Berdych and Stan Wawrinka, who fell to Roberto Bautista Agut today [vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check”] Eye-popping Round-1 upsets by Richardis Berankis and Pierre-Hugues Herbert

With two of those storylines converging in tonight’s Quarterfinal clash, fans were hoping for a better contest — but this was all Berdych from the beginning. In their first career meeting, Tomas owned the 3-time Grand Slam Doubles Champion in set-1 — broke early in the second — then held the rest of the way.

Tomas won the Doha Doubles title in his 2014 debut. A year later, he fell to David Ferrer in the championship match. In 2016 and 2017, he reached the Final-4. Comfortable on court at Khalifa, there’s no better tournament to launch his comeback after being sidelined for 6-months.

Meanwhile, Pierre-Hugues Herbert started his Doha campaign by earning his second career top-10 Singles victory, upsetting the #2-seed Dominic Thiem in the opening round. Still alive in Doubles, he’s teamed with David Goffin here in Doha. David was the other top-seed upended in Round-1, falling to Qualifier Richardis Berankis in a deciding set tiebreak.

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Up next for Tomas Berdych: [4] Marco Cecchinato -20- (ITA).

This will be Tomas’ first taste of the 26-year-old Italian — who last January, started the new season with only 4 Tour-level match victories to his name. By October, Marco cracked the top-20 and climbed to a career-high ranking of World #19. How’d he do it? He won his first two ATP Tour titles last season, and upset Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros to become the first Italian Grand Slam Semifinalist in 40-years.

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[WC] Tomas Berdych -71- (CZE) | Quarterfinal Announcer Introduction

Back on tour for the first time in 6-months, he’s overcome two of the sport’s most savvy veterans to reach tonight’s Quarterfinal. On Monday, he took-out Philipp Kohlschreiber; and last night, outlasted the relentless Fernando Verdasco. He’s a Wimbledon Finalist, a 2-time Davis Cup Champion, owns 13 ATP Singles titles, and has reached 31 career Finals. One of only five active players who’ve reached the Semifinals of all four Majors, he’s also one of only 3 players who’ve earned Grand Slam victories over Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray. Competing in his 6th Qatar ExxonMobil Open, from the Czech Republic – please welcome 2015 Doha Finalist and 2014 Doubles Champion, Tomas Berdych.

[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] R2 def Fernando Verdasco -28- (ESP) 46 63 75 [vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] R1 def Philipp Kohlschreiber -34- (GER) 64 76(5)

Pierre-Hugues Herbert -55- (FRA) | Quarterfinal Announcer Introduction

On Tuesday, in his Doha debut, this 27-year-old upset the #2-seed and World #8 Dominic Thiem, to earn the second top-10 singles victory of his career. And yesterday, he outlasted German Qualifier Max Marterer in a deciding-set tiebreak to reach tonight’s Quarterfinal. Now a 3-time Grand Slam Doubles Champion, he captured his 3rd Major last year at Roland Garros and went on to qualify for the year-end ATP Finals for the fourth consecutive year, where he and partner Nicolas Mahut reached the championship match for the first time. 2018 also proved to be a career-best season in Singles, where he earned a career-high 24 victories, reached his 2nd Tour-level Final in Shenzhen and climbed to World #50. Through to the Quarterfinals in his first Qatar ExxonMobil Open – From France, please welcome Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] R2 def [Q] Maximilian Marterer -74- (GER) 63 67(6) 76(6) [vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] R1 def [2] Dominic Thiem -08- (AUT) 63 75