Radek Stepanek upbeat on Berdych`s Davis Cup comeback
Radek Stepanek said Tuesday he believed Tomas Berdych will return for the semi-final against France in September after missing holders the Czech Republic`s quarter-final win over Japan last weekend.
|Last Updated: Apr 09, 2014, 12:41 AM IST|Source: AFP
Prague: Radek Stepanek said Tuesday he believed Tomas Berdych will return for the semi-final against France in September after missing holders the Czech Republic`s quarter-final win over Japan last weekend.
"We know that if we want to succeed again, we have to play with the strongest team," Stepanek told reporters.
"I firmly believe and hope he will return to the team and fight for a place in the final again."
The 28-year-old Berdych and 35-year-old veteran Stepanek led the Czechs to two consecutive Davis Cup titles in 2012 and 2013.
Without Berdych, the Czechs led by Stepanek and Lukas Rosol swept Japan 5-0 in Tokyo for their 11th straight Davis Cup win last weekend.
They will play the French, who beat an under-strength German team 3-2 in their quarter-final, on September 12-14.
Berdych is an exception among top players who often shun the Davis Cup to focus on their individual careers.
He has only missed three ties since he was first called up to the Czech Davis Cup team in 2003.
Berdych, who equalled his career high world ranking of five last month, is now the highest-ranked player who has yet to win a grand slam.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.