Off Topic » Berdych became the first player to stamp

Melbourne, Australia (SportsNetwork.com) - Tomas Berdych picked a good time to end his lengthy losing streak to Rafael Nadal, while Andy Murray continued his run toward another Australian Open final. Tuesdays first mens quarterfinal was never close and the second wasnt much more competitive. Berdych became the first player to stamp his ticket into the semifinals following a shocking 6-2, 6-0, 7-6 (7-5) win over the second-seeded former world No. 1 Nadal at the years first Grand Slam event. Murray, a three-time Aussie Open runner-up, then dispatched 19-year-old Aussie crowd favorite Nick Kyrgios, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. The third-seeded Nadal was able to fend off a pair of match points in his final service game of the third set, but was unable to overcome a 2-5 deficit in the tiebreak. With the No. 7 seed Berdych up 6-5, Nadal sent the backhand of Berdychs serve into the net and the Czech officially put his straight-set triumph into the books. Berdych had dropped 17 consecutive matches to last years Aussie Open finalist Nadal, a streak that dated back to 2007. He also reached his second straight Aussie semi. The big-hitting Berdych had been 3-18 lifetime against Nadal, including a loss in the 2010 Wimbledon final. Nadal owns 14 major titles, including a lone Aussie championship in 2009. Hes also a two-time runner-up at Melbourne Park, including last year against Stan Wawrinka. It just was not my day, said Nadal. I didnt play with the right intensity, with the right rhythm, and the opponent played better than me. You have to play well to win against a player like Tomas. I didnt play my best today. He played better than me and thats it. Thats sport. Sometimes, almost every time, it is simple: the player who plays better, the player who is able to maintain the better rhythm, the better concentration, play with less mistakes, is the player who has more success. And today this player has been Tomas. Meanwhile, Murray was in command throughout against Kyrgios and didnt face a break point against his serve until the seventh game of the third set. He advanced to the semifinals for the fifth time in the last six years, bouncing back from a quarterfinal loss to Roger Federer last year. The sixth-seeded Scot broke for a 4-2 lead in the first set and won a tight tiebreak in the second before breaking serve for another 4-2 lead in the third. Kyrgios finally answered with a break, but Murray responded with one of his own for a 5-3 advantage and held serve to finish the match in just over two hours. Im happy. Its nice to be in the latter stages of a slam again, said Murray. Im happy with that. Obviously we want to do the best possible, but all you can do is prepare as best you can, which I certainly did over the past few weeks and months, and have given myself an opportunity. Maybe I wont play well in a couple of days; maybe I play great. I dont know. But Ive given myself a good opportunity again, and hopefully I can use it to my advantage. The two-time Grand Slam champion Murray will meet Berdych in the semis. Mens quarterfinal play will continue Wednesday. The fourth-seeded defending Melbourne champion Wawrinka will face fifth-seeded U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori and the evening match will feature four-time Aussie winner Novak Djokovic against eighth-seeded Canadian slugger Milos Raonic. Obviously, if he serves as well as he does, 20, 30 aces average per match, puts a lot of pressure on the opponents serve, Djokovic said of Raonic. You take a chance, you double fault, the set is gone. These kind of matches are very challenging mentally for us to play against servers like that. Djokovic is a perfect 4-0 versus Raonic, while Wawrinka is 2-1 lifetime against Nishikori, although the Japanese star captured their last meeting in the U.S. Open quarterfinals back in September. The world No. 1 Djokovic is the reigning Wimbledon champion who is seeking an eighth Grand Slam title. He captured three straight Aussie crowns from 2011-13. Vans Old Skool Saldi . Cilic cruised to victory, beating the seventh-seeded Seppi 6-1, 6-3 in just 72 minutes. He faced only one break point, winning 24 out of 29 points played on the first serve. Vans Old Skool Outlet . Sopoaga hit the upright with his first shot at goal from 15 metres. He then kicked nine goals in succession -- two conversions and seven penalties -- before being replaced in the 62nd minute, three points short of the Highlanders record for most points in a match. http://www.oldskooloutlet.it/. -- The Anaheim Ducks have signed left wing Dany Heatley to a one-year deal, returning the 33-year-old unrestricted free agent to the Pacific Division. Vans Old Skool Scontate . With the final four being arguably the four best – and most complete – teams from the regular season, picking a winner is not as easy as it sounds. Old Skool Outlet Italia . The Asheville, N.C. native, who signed as a free agent with the CFL club last May, didnt see any action with Edmonton this season after opening the year on the injured list. PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns were worn out from an overtime victory in Denver the previous night. The Boston Celtics hadnt played since the All-Star break. So the Suns 100-94 victory over Boston Wednesday night was an uphill affair, with Phoenix relying on balance rather than its trademark high energy. Six Phoenix players hit double figures, led by Markieff Morris 18. Goran Dragic and Gerald Green added 17 points apiece for Phoenix. Channing Frye had 15, among them a crucial 3-pointer with 1:20 left. Markieffs twin brother, Marcus, scored 10 of his 11 in the second half, including a 32-footer at the third-quarter buzzer. P.J. Tucker had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Suns, who took the lead for good with a 17-0 second-half run, then used free throws to hold off the Celtics at the end. Rajon Rondo had 18 points and 10 assists for the Celtics. Brandon Bass also had 18 and Jeff Green added 17 points. The Suns took the lead for good by scoring the final 12 of the third quarter and first five of the fourth, going up 71-61 on Marcus Morris dunk with 9:45 to play. Boston, though, came back, and Kelly Olynyks 3-pointer from the corner cut Phoenixs lead to 88-86 with 3:59 to play. Phoenix made four of six free throws to make it 92-86, then Gerald Wallaces two free throws sliced the lead to 92-88. Frye made a 3, the Suns fiirst field goal in 5:07, and Phoenix led 95-88 with 1:20 to play.dddddddddddd Jeff Greens two free throws with 30 seconds to play cut it to 97-94. Dragic missed a reverse layup and Boston got the ball with 23 seconds to go. But rather than try for a game-tying 3, the Celtics went for two. Rondo missed a driving layup and Jared Sullinger couldnt score on the rebound, then Gerald Green put it away with two free throws with 10.9 seconds to go. The Celtics outscored Phoenix 16-4 to start the second half to lead 66-56, but the Suns got the last dozen of the quarter, capped by Marcus Morris long one at the buzzer. The Suns never trailed in the first half but were up only 52-50 at the break. In the first half, the Celtics scored 18 points off 14 turnovers, the Suns just two points off eight Boston turnovers. Phoenix had only four turnovers in the second half to Bostons six. Notes: The Celtics opened a four-game road trip. ... Gerald Greens career-high 36 points at Denver were the most by a Phoenix player this season. ... Phoenix matched its season best of 11 games above .500. ... Boston fell to 4-19 against the Western Conference. ... Bass, who didnt score in the fourth quarter, fell two shy of his season high. ... Sullinger limped off with a twisted ankle with 10.9 seconds to play. ... Phoenix is home against San Antonio on Friday night. 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