Rafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych met in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Tuesday.
The Czech had failed to the beat the number three seed in their last 17 matches, a run that stretched back to 2006 as he looked to reach the fifth Grand Slam semi-final of his career.
Berdych produced an outstanding display to dump Nadal out of the tournament as he won in straight sets 6-2 6-0 7-6 to secure his place in the last four of the tournament.
Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the quarter-final match between Rafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych in the Australian Open.
Nadal reached this stage of the competition by defeating South African Kevin Anderson in straight sets in round four, and is well on course to match his performance of last year when he reached the final. The 28-year-old has not won the Australian Open since 2009 and he will be determined to end that run this year.
Berdych dismantled Australia's Bernard Tomic in round four with a straight-sets victory and could match his display of 2014 when he reached the semi-finals of the tournament. The 29-year-old hasn't featured in the final of a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2010.
Nadal has incredibly won his last 17 matches against the Czech. They have played each other 21 times, and Berdych did have a 3-1 lead before the miserable run started back in 2007. The 28-year-old won the last meeting between the pair on clay last year with a straight sets win in Madrid.
The players are going through their final warm-ups so we should be underway shortly.
Here we go, Berdych to serve first.
Strong start to the game for the Czech as he forces Nadal back and the Spaniard hits the net with his first backhand of the game. Another error on the forehand side follows from the Spaniard, while Berdych cracks his first ace down the middle, giving Nadal no chance. He seals the game with a serve and volley as he slices the ball into the front of the court.
Not the best of starts for Nadal as he double faults immediately, but is able to restore parity and then take the lead as Berdych slams two shots straight into the net. Berdych finds the net again, but so does Nadal to extend the game, only for the Spaniard to find his range with a good serve which the Czech can't return.
Nadal begins Berdych's next service game with a brilliant backhand at the feet of the number seven seed which he can't dig out. However, the Czech responds with an ace to take the lead following an miscue off the racquet of Nadal, while he sees out the game with another ace and a forehand winner, which is too good for the Spaniard. A good start from both players.
BREAK! Berdych takes the attack to Nadal who commits an error as he slams the ball into the net. The second point isn't an error as the Spaniard is worked around the court before the Berdych fires the ball into the corner with a powerful forehand strike. Nadal looks unsteady on his backhand as he miscues his slice into the net handing the Czech two break points, but he needs only one as the Spaniard hits the net again!
Nadal tries to show aggression at the start of the game as he goes for the baseline with a forehand winner, but misses! While Berdych works him around the court and again and earns another point with a well played forehand. A couple of miscues from the Czech level the game up as he hits the net and overhits a backhand, but his game returns as he gets his backhand right with a shot into the corner. Good tennis from both players as Nadal restores the game to deuce and then a Berdych error gives him a break point. The Czech battles back from handing the 28-year-old two break points, to earn an advantage himself and Nadal makes another mistake to lose the game. A strong hold from Berdych.
An ugly shot to start the game for Berdych as Nadal fires a forehand to his backhand side which skews off his racquet into the crowd. Nadal begins to find his form in his strokes as he powers a forehand to the back of the court, which the Czech can't return, while an ace soon follows from the Spaniard. Nadal secures the hold with relative ease with a simple serve and return to the opposite corner.
Nadal puts Berdych on the back foot immediately as he pins up to the back of the court with an excellent couple of forehands to take a 30-0 lead. Berdych works himself back into the game as he charges the net with a serve and volley to restore parity, while an error from Nadal hands him a game point as he slices the ball into the net. The Spaniard makes another mistake as he loses control of his attempted backhand slice, which falls out to hand the Czech the game. He has a real chance to put the pressure on Nadal here.
BREAK AND SET! Excellent tennis again from Berdych as he plays Nadal around the court before picking his spot which Nadal can't get enough racquet on to return. The Spaniard then commits a double fault before gaining a point back with a neat backhand volley. The number seven seed ups the ante with another good shot as he bosses the court as Nadal overhits his forehand to give the 29-year-old two set points. Berdych takes the first set with a well worked move as he fires a forehand into the corner, giving the Spaniard no chance.
Another strong start to the service game from Berdych as he regains his rhythm after the break, Nadal gets back in the game due to an unforced error from the Czech. However, the 29-year-old manages to find his forehand once again and control the remaining points before Nadal goes long again with his forehand, handing the game to Berdych.
BREAK! Nadal coasts the first point of the game as he capitalises on an error from Berdych, but the Czezh responds with absolute power as he crashes two forehands past the Spaniard. Berdych does it again on Nadal's serve to earn two break points, before the Spaniard shows great awareness of the to read Berdych at the net and telegraph his backhand past him for a winner. However, he spoils his play with a loose backhand shot on the next point as he hands the game to the 29-year-old.
Nadal tries to hit back against the Czech and he manages to win the first point with a good strike to force the error. However, Berdych's next two serves are right on the money are the Spaniard can barely lay a racquet on them before they fly past his outstretched hand. The Czech does it again before firing an ace down the middle, and there's not much Rafa can do about that, but acknowledge excellent play from Berdych.
BREAK! Yet another Berdych winner as he crashes Nadal's back past before he knows it. Nadal gets himself back on track with a well worked point, but again he makes a poor mistake on double fault to give the Czech control of the game. Berdych wins two break points as he opens the court with a lovely backhand slice to force Nadal out wide before crashing a forehand past him. Nadal reduces the deficit, but yet again another double fault from the Spaniard gives the number seven seed the game. This is not the Nadal we are used to seeing!
Berdych serves, Berdych wins point on unreturnable serve seems to be the pattern of the match and it continues in the first point. Nadal hits back though with trademark forehand strike which clips the line, but Czech responds in turn with a serve and volley. The Spaniard hits the net with his return from serve as he should have at least got the ball over the net, before Berdych nails his fifth ace of the match.
BREAK AND SET! Berdych goes long with the first point of the game, making an uncharacteristic error in the match while the Spaniard shows another glimpse of him at his best as he manoeuvres the Czech round the court before smashing a forehand winner. Bad Nadal returns as he crashes his forehand into the net, while Berdych makes him pay again with an outstanding forehand winner which drops right on the line, giving Nadal no chance. A backhand winner follows and he repeats the same formula to take the set. Impressive tennis from Berdych.
#Berdych rocking the house 6-2, 6-0 v #Nadal. Rafa has 17 forced & 16 unforced errors. Playing extra deep. #ausopen pic.twitter.com/R0tq41di5R
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2015
ACE! Berdych's serve has been excellent today and he begins with an unplayable serve right down the 'T'. Nadal then goes long with his backhand, which highlights the poor execution of his play today. Berdych strolls to take the game as Nadal's returns are too short and are duly punished as he fires the ball the Spaniard with contempt.
The Spaniard shows some quality as he produces an excellent serve, which can't be returned by Berdych. Nadal gets moving in the game due to an unforced error from Berdych, but the Czech comes back into the game with his power play on his forehand. However, this time the number three seed is able to resist and forces another mistake out of the Czech before taking the game with an ace.
Berdych quickly assumes a 30-0 lead as he powers two forehand winners past Nadal before the Spaniard can even react to the ball. Nadal gets a winner of his own against the second serve of the number seven seed, but order is restored as the Czech forces the Spaniard into a mistake and secures the game as Nadal finds the net again.
Nadal produces his best game of the match to level the scores in the set. Berdych makes a couple of errors but the Spaniard's serve has more life to it than it has in the entirety of the match before he finishes with a brilliant forehand winner to the back of the court. This match isn't over yet.
The Spaniard brings the crowd to life as he powers a forehand past Berdych, but the Czech responds in turn with an impressive cross-court shot of his own. Another winner follows from the Czech, but Nadal stays in touch with a good rally as he forces a mistake. Only for the 29-year-old to take his game up another notch to secure the game as he manoeuvres Nadal around the court and then nails an ace right down the middle.
Nadal is beginning to look more comfortable on his service games as he takes the opening point due to a solid serve, but he then shows his frailties by missing a winner down the sideline by overhitting his forehand. Two errors from the Czech hand the Spaniard a game point as he wins control of the court after two tough rallies, while he's handed the game as Berdych's return is long.
Berdych's serve is such a powerful weapon for him all evening and he continues in the same vain as he starts with a service winner. Nadal battles back to 30-30, but the 29-year-old raises the level of his game against with a forehand down the line and another winner on serve. It has been quite the performance from the Czech.
A good rally starts the game as Berdch miscues slightly to hit the net to get Nadal off the mark. The next rally is even better as both players produce stunning shots before Berdych executes a delicate slice, which enables him to open up the court to find a winner. A double fault gives Berdych a his chance to apply pressure on the Spaniard, although he responds with a forehand winner across the court. Both players trade winner again and Nadal rescues a break point with an ace before hammering a winner to keep himself alive in the tournament.
Nadal gets some luck on the first point of the game as the ball clips the net, but Berdych hits back with a winner. Both players produce their best tennis to keep the scoreline tied at 30-30 before Nadal has his best moment of the match with a forehand winner to bring up a break point. Two great serves from the Czech keep him at bay, but he produces more magic by staying in the point to force Berdych into another error. However, Berdych produces another two aces and a forehand winner to secure the vital hold and put all the pressure on the Spaniard. What a game!
Berdych starts an important game with a quality shot to the baseline which just drops in off his backhand, but a couple of errors hand the initiative to Nadal. The Spaniard looks back to peak form as he endures a long rally with the number seven seed before firing a backhand winner down the line, but Berdych is straight back at him in the next point. However, the Czech can't find the baseline again and Nadal holds on to keep the match going.
The Czech ups the ante at the start of the game as he powers a forehand winner past Nadal before the Spaniard is put on the back foot and can only hit the ball into the net. Berdych misses a cross-court forehand for the first time of the game it seems, but he sees out the hold with a smash down the right side. All the pressure is on Rafa now!
Rafa starts a game he can't lose in the worst possible fashion as he double faults, and then smashes a forehand into the net. An error from Berdych brings him back into the game, but Berdych comes up with a huge forehand which Nadal can't return to earn two match points. A poor forehand costs Berdych one of those points, and then Nadal comes up with a huge serve to take away the other. It's Berdych's turn to make errors at the wrong time as he hands the game to the Spaniard with a couple of enforced errors. We're going to a tie-breaker.
Berdych 1-0 Nadal
Berdych 2-0 Nadal
Berdych 2-1 Nadal
Berdych 3-1 Nadal
Berdych 4-1 Nadal - Nadal goes long with his return and all the momentum is with Berdych.
Berdych 5-1 Nadal
Berdych 5-2 Nadal
Berdych 5-3 Nadal
Berdych 5-4 Nadal
Berdych 6-4 Nadal - Two match points for Berdych!
Berdych 6-5 Nadal - Berdych hits the net with a backhand and Nadal is still alive.
GAME, SET, MATCH! Berdych secures his place in the semi-finals of the Australian Open as Nadal can only hit his return into the net and the Czech has his first victory over the Spaniard since 2006 and in 17 attempts.
Berdych fully deserved his comprehensive victory as he was superb all evening. His serving was excellent all game and money when it needed to be in crucial situations. Nadal had no answer for his power play in the first two sets and even in the third he struggled immensely. The 29-year-old looks a decent shout to reach his second Grand Slam final if he can keep up his level of form.
Nadal was far from his best in the first two sets as he cut a frustrated figure. The Spaniard found some form in the third, but he was still below-par and will have to work hard to find himself after this loss to get back to his best.
Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Next up is Britain's number one Andy Murray against Australia's Nick Kyrgios.
