Wimbledon 2016: Sky Sports experts differ on Andy Murray v Tomas Berdych
Friday 8 July 2016 11:48, UK
Andy Murray takes on Tomas Berdych for a place in the Wimbledon final, and while Barry Cowan believes Murray is a firm favourite to progress, Mark Petchey warned that Berdych is not to be underestimated.
The second seeded Scot has won his last four matches against the Czech, but Petchey is expecting a closely contested encounter on Centre Court.
"Today is going to be down to one or two big points," said Murray's former coach.
"Tomas has the weapons to take the match away from Andy. He hits the ball that hard and that flat from the back of the court, so Andy will have to try and move Tomas around."
Berdych made the Wimbledon final in 2010, before losing to Rafa Nadal, but Cowan feels Murray has made more progression in recent years which has been reflected by his rise in the world rankings to No 2.
"Berdych is such a consistent performer, six years in the top 10, but when you look back at when he made the final in 2010, when he beat Federer and Djokovic, I felt his game was more explosive than it is now," said Cowan.
"I feel that now, he is further away from beating the likes of Murray, because he hasn't evolved his game as much."
The British No 1 came through a tough five-set match with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Wednesday, having let a two set lead slip before fighting back to win the fifth, and Cowan says his mental strength will be crucial.
"Murray must show the focus he displayed in the first two sets against Tsonga, and he will be overwhelming favourite to make the final.
"The comfort for Berdych is that Murray did lose focus in the third and fourth, but I don't expect him to do that today. I expect him to be locked in."
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