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Back in 2015, it was Tomas Berdych who ended Rafael Nadal's run in straight sets in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. It was an absolutely stunning performance from the Czech, given his perennial struggles against the Spaniard.
Four years later, the two are meeting once more but this time it will be one round earlier. Interestingly, this time both are coming off injury breaks. A long-drawn back injury kept the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up on the sidelines for much of 2018 while Rafa too suffered from an ankle injury due to which he had to go under the knife towards the end of the year.
Rested and rejuvenated, both have made impressive comebacks so far in the first couple of weeks of 2019. In his first competitive tournament in six months, the Czech reached the final of the Qatar Open, where he lost to Roberto Bautista Agut in three sets.
Nadal withdrew from the Mubadala World Tennis Championships after a loss to Kevin Anderson, which was followed by a subsequent pullout from the Brisbane International. The extra time to heal properly has apparently done Rafa a world of good. So far, he has looked ominous with his new serve and polished forehands helping him win matches effortlessly.
Apart from a set to 18th seed Diego Schwartzman, the currently 57th ranked Berdych too hasn't faced much trouble on his way to the Round of 16. Rafa, with his 20-4 head-to-head record and his staggering accomplishments, should be the favourite in this clash. But it needs to be noted that the 17-time Grand Slam champion hasn't yet faced any opponent of Berdych's calibre. This would indeed be Rafa's first big test where he is expected to come through, although it won't be hassle-free.
Here is all you need to know about the match:
Match: (2) Rafael Nadal vs Tomas Berdych
Date: 20. 01. 2019.
Round: Fourth
Time: Not before 2:30 pm AEDT or 9 am IST; it is the third match on the Rod Laver Arena in the morning session.
Where to Watch Details:
India: Matches will be shown live on TV on Sony SIX, Sony SIX HD, Sony Ten 2, and Sony Ten 2 HD. Matches can also be streamed live on SonyLiv.
USA: ESPN2 and Tennis Channel.
Australia: Channel 9 - Wide World of Sports, 9Gem, and 9Now.
Europe: Eurosport TV channel and on the Eurosport Player live streaming service
All matches can also be streamed live on the official Australian Open website.
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