NOVAK DJOKOVIC WINS BY RETIREMENT

Wait, what's this ?  Berdych is shaking hands with Djokovic and he's walking off court...Woah, woah !  Apparently its those shoulder twinges which we mentioned earlier but that's still a complete surprise. He had the trainer on a few games ago but it definitely didn't look to be bothering him as he moved to 5-3 and he was still slamming down some big ones in that last game. Hmmm......oh well Djokovic is through to his 6th Masters final of the year and he'll play Andy Murray tomorrow in a repeat of the 2008 Cincy final.   

Djokovic 7-5, 0-0 Berdych:  Berdych needs to forget about the last ten minutes, wipe his mind clean as Djokovic knows he's got a golden chance to wrap up the set here and now and completely wrest control of this. The Czech still isn't thinking clearly as he has a straightforward volley putaway with the court at his mercy but manages to send it straight back to Djokovic who sends up a tricky little overhead and Berdych dunks it in the bottom of the net. Predictably, three straight errors from Berdych and suddenly Djokovic has full control....16 of the last 19 points have gone his way   

Djokovic 6-5 Berdych:  It's those kind of games which make the difference between the top five guys and the rest. You wouldn't have seen a Nadal or Federer throw in a game like that when serving for a set, they make you earn it and Djokovic is of the same mould. He swiftly holds to love and this set has turned around in a jiffy.  

Djokovic 5-5 Berdych:  How will the Berdych nerves hold up ? It's not looking too promising as he starts with a tentative backhand into the net and then Djokovic picks the sliced one out wide perfectly, slamming it down the line, 15-30...and then a very poor forehand into the net gives the top seed 2 break points. Djokovic has to do fairly little as a double fault hands him the break back. Very, very disappointing game from a player of Berdych's experience.     

Djokovic 4-5 Berdych:  Even the net cords are going Berdych's way at the moment and another crunching forehand clips the tape on its way down the line to give him 15-30. Nole is equal to the task though, a curveball of an ace and a wrong-footing forehand gives him game point, then Berdych gets all jammed up as he tries to run round his backhand and he's gonna have to serve for it.  

Djokovic 3-5 Berdych:  That last game was the kind of concentration lapse which used to characterise the Djokovic of old and its been creeping back into his tennis this week. Can Berdych punish him ?  He makes the game look so gloriously easy when he's striking the ball like this and when you're up against a man who's 6'5 it's so tough to get the ball out of his strike zone. Still throws in some downright dross every so often, 1 forehand barely reached the bottom of the net but 2 more were right out of the textbook manual and he holds to 30.    

Djokovic 3-4 Berdych:  Berdych shows some lightning reflexes, covering the net like Becker in his pomp despite Nole firing shots at him from about 5 feet away and then an untimely double fault from the top seed puts him 0-30 down. He still looks a little rattled by that opening point and sends a backhand well long to hand Berdych 3 break points.....and the Czech takes first blood after an incredible rally. Djokovic did everything to stay in the point, chased down 2 explosive forehands, raced to a drop volley and looked in full control until Berdych found another thunderous backhand-forehand combination to clinch the game.

Djokovic 3-3 Berdych:  Berdych smacks the baseline with a brutal forehand at 89mph, that one would have gone through granite. Then follows it with a much uglier one, hooked well over the baseline...15-15....Djokovic performs that spectacular split step retrieval multiple times (seriously this guy has to be made of elastic) but Berdych keeps his concentration with those groundies and levels up.

Djokovic 3-2 Berdych:  Berdych still looks a little breathless from that exhausting service game and Djokovic harries him into a series of errors, finishing with a booming ace down the T. The Czech looks relieved to get to his chair and take a breather. Much better serving so far today from Djokovic and did I mention the shoes ?  The world number one sporting a very flashy pair of red sneakers today.     

Djokovic 2-2 Berdych:  Terrific defence from Djokovic and he rips a backhand pass down at the feet of the onrushing Berdych..0-15. Nole then moves to 0-30, Berdych pushing him to all corners with some searching shots but Nole uses his gymnastic like athleticism to stay in it until the Czech eventually goes for too much. Big chance here but Berdych pounds down 3 unreturnable serves, he wants to keep these points as short as possible. The Czech struggling to hold though, 3 game points go begging and he's missing some sitters right now, a volley which my gran could have made...now Djokovic has a BREAK POINT as Berdych nets a fairly routine short forehand...his serve gets him out of trouble though and eventually he holds with a big one out wide. Critical, critical times and it looks as if he may be feeling some twinges in his right shoulder ?  Keep an eye on that one. 

Djokovic 2-1 Berdych: Djokovic started pretty slowly against Monfils last night and the way Berdych struck the ball in that last game suggests he really can't afford to do the same. Berdych has such a wealth of power at his disposal and he lashes a ball into Djokovic's forehand corner and the top seed can only respond tamely into the net...30-30. Djokovic is content to be patient from the back of the court and a couple of Berdych errors see him escape unscathed.    

Djokovic 1-1 Berdych: Not only is Berdych a massive guy at 6'5 but he hits such a heavy ball, in terms of pace and spin. The Czech has a look of steely determination on his face and he smashes down two aces which leave Djokovic flailing at thin air as he holds to 15.   

Djokovic 1-0 Berdych:  Djokovic pumps down an ace on the way to a love hold. Tenperatures oppressively hot this afternoon in Cincinnati. Big test of Novak's fitness after his long three setter last night 

Berdych has beaten Djokovic just once, in the 2010 Wimbledon semi-finals but the Serb has beaten him three times since then.

The Czech will be hopeful after his stunning straight sets win over defending champion Roger Federer yesterday. In contrast, Djokovic was made to slog for several hours during his night session clash with Gael Monfils, looking decidedly below par.

Can Berdych become just the second man to beat Djokovic in 2011 ?  Join us and find out.