Rafael Nadal believes a conversation with David Beckham has provided him with the perfect inspiration ahead of his Wimbledon final showdown with Tomas Berdych on Sunday.
Nadal will need a Beckham-style lung-busting effort to subdue the powerful Berdych, who has clinched a surprise final place with hugely impressive victories over Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
After a gruelling clay-court season culminated in victory at the French Open, Nadal had only 48 hours to rest before travelling to London to begin his preparations for the grass-court season and now, a month later, the strain is starting to tell on his body.
He has been suffering with knee problems for much of the Championships and admits he can’t guarantee the injury won’t flare up again in the final. “I didn’t have any problem for the last three matches but it can be there in one moment and I don’t have the control of this,” he said.
Just 12 months ago he was unable to defend the title he won here in 2008 due to knee tendinitis, but now he stands on the brink of winning the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year for the second time. Nadal might have been expecting to resume his rivalry with Federer in the final, but Berdych ensured that wouldn’t happen with a stunning quarter-final victory over the defending champion.
Berdych proved that was no fluke by dispatching world number three Djokovic in three sets in the semifinal to reach his first Grand Slam final.
He reached the French Open semifinals before his epic run at Wimbledon and Nadal is well aware of the threat posed by the 6ft 5in Czech. Berdych, 24, has the perfect game for grass. Now he has the confidence to back up his talent. —AFP