Tomas Berdych believes inexperience played a big role in his 2010 Wimbledon final loss to Rafael Nadal

What's the story?

In a recent interview, Tomas Berdych reflected upon his run to the 2010 Wimbledon final which he lost to Rafael Nadal in straight sets. The Czech suggested that experience played a huge role in determining the outcome of the match.

In case you didn't know...

Berdych recently announced his retirement following a long and successful career which saw him reach a career-high ranking of 4 in the world. He also competed in a Wimbledon final and made at least the semi-final of the three remaining Slams.

The heart of the matter

Berdych famously defeated Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the 2010 Wimbledon Championships. However, he would then go on to face Spain's Rafael Nadal in the final, where, despite his stellar form, he came up short.

Berdych is of the opinion that his inexperience entering the final meant that he was a little overwhelmed by the occasion. Speaking to a Czech media outlet, Berdych was quoted as saying: "The experience was too important." (h/t: Tennis World USA)

It is hard to disagree with Berdych's views; the Wimbledon final in 2010 was his first-ever appearance in a Slam final, while Rafael Nadal had already won 7 Grand Slam titles at that stage of his career.

Moreover, 2010 was also one of Nadal's most dominant seasons. The Spaniard won 3 Grand Slam titles and also finished the year ranked No.1 in the world.

What's next?

In a different era, Berdych may well have won a few Grand Slam titles. However, like so many other players of the past decade or so, he was a victim of the tyrannical reign of the Big 3.

It remains to be seen if Berdych continues his association with tennis in some capacity following his retirement.

As for Nadal, he will be looking to add a few more Slams to his kitty in 2020.