Streaking across the blue clay in pursuit of a Tomas Berdych blast, Roger Federer could see the white Mercedes parked on its perch above the corner of the court as he stabbed back a stretch forehand for a fourth championship point. The dynamic shotmaker's ability to downshift from defense to offense on pivotal points helped him find the finish line with a final flourish.
Navigating a thrill ride of a final set that featured three bumpy breaks in the last five games, Federer fended off Berdych, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, to capture his third career Madrid championship and become the first three-time winner in the event's 11-year history. It is Federer's seventh title in his last 10 tournaments and his 74th career championship. The Swiss stylist collected his 20th Masters crown to equal arch rival Rafael Nadal's all-time record and will replace Rafa as world No. 2 when the new ATP rankings are released on Monday.
It began as a blues cruise for Berdych, who exploited a Federer brain cramp when the third seed tried faked a drop shot on a sitter, but his slice forehand found the middle of the net. Berdych blasted a backhand return winner and broke for 2-0. The sixth-seeded Czech won 12 of the next 14 points on his serve to stretch the lead to 5-2 and sealed the 36-minute set on his third set point, whipping a biting serve into the body to conclude a confident opener in which Berdych crunched 14 winners against two errors.
Federer found a remedy to blunt a sharp Berdych by playing with a bit more topspin and sharper angles on his forehand. A Federer forehand return skimmed the top of the tape, he hit an off-pace, inside-out forehand winner to break for 2-0. Federer erased a break point with an ace in holding for 4-1, but Berdych denied a break point with an ace of his own holding for 2-4. The 6-foot-5 Czech showed fine defensive skills, digging a lunging forehand out of the dirt then zapping a forehand winner down the line to break back for 4-5. A Federer forehand return skidded off the sideline scooting beneath Berdych's racquet as Federer earned two set points, levelling when a visibly tight Berdych dumped a double fault into net.
Bidding for his first Masters crown in six-and-half years, Berdych's strength is his ability to strike a series of flat shots in repetition. Federer's brilliance is he seldom plays the same spin or speeds on successive shots. Berdych outplayed Federer in the early stages of the third set, earning two break points in the first game — his dropped to a squat and squeezed his eyes in angst after narrowling missing a backhand down the line on the second break point — and another break point in the third game. The big-hitting Czech led 0-30 in each of Federer's first three service games of the decider, but Federer held firm.
The drama ratcheted up as Berdych banged three straight aces to dig out of a 0-40 hole only to gag in dumping two double faults to hand his opponent the break and a 5-3 lead. One of the game's best closers could not bring the curtain down yet as two rousing returns from Berdych helped him break back for 4-5. Serving to force the tie breaker, the big man could not control a slithering short slice from Federer and missed a backhand up the line to fall into a 0-40 hole. Berdych gamely fought off three championship points before Federer finally found closure coaxing an error with another short slice and thrusting his arms in the air, a Madrid master again.