Tomas Berdych leads Czechs into Davis Cup final

HEAD racquet rebel Tomas Berdych has powered his Czech Republic team into a second Davis Cup final in four years, scoring points on every day of the tie with Argentina in Buenos Aires. Sixth-ranked Berdych, swinging his YouTek IG Instinct MP, will lead his nation in the December 16-18 final at home against powerhouse nation Spain. The Spaniards crushed the US 3-1 despite missing Rafael Nadal who is out of the game with a knee injury. Both of the semi-final ties were played using HEAD ATP balls.

Tomas Berdych claimed a five set win over Juan Monaco on Friday winning 6-1, 4-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Friday. Berdych went on to win the doubles on Saturday with HEAD fellow Radek Stepanek (YouTek IG Speed MP) over Carlos Berlocq/ Eduardo Schwank in three sets. The today 27 year-old iced the Czech win on the final day, defeating Argentine substitute Berlocq 6-3 6-3 6-4.

"I'm feeling pretty happy, we have ended Argentina's 14-year winning streak at home," said Berdych, last weeks’ US Open semi-finalist who made the immediate switch from hard-court to South American clay. "This is the highest I could get in my career. I'm really looking forward to the final. We'll give our all and it will be good to do that at home. I wanted to show it here that my game is on top and I can play well. I did it, won my two singles, made half a point in the doubles and that’s what we needed."

Berdych played on the 2009 finals team which lost to Spain in Barcelona and will hoping to lead his nation to a second Davis trophy after the former Czechoslovakia took the honours in 1980.

"It is an open final, it depends on if Nadal is fit. But it is important to be playing at home where we can choose the surface."