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Berdych prefers low-profile image

Tomas Berdych admits he doesn’t envy the celebrity status and fame afforded to the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, preferring instead a more low-key profile.

As the world’s top two players, Nadal and Federer are the very public faces of the men’s game having won 25 Grand Slam titles between them, thereby having to enjoy – or endure – all of the adulation, glamour and glitz that invariably go hand-in-hand with it.

For unassuming Berdych though, a somewhat quieter life is almost unnegotiable, unless of course you were to throw in their respective achievements into the bargain.

“I would like to be on their side of the results, but definitely not what they have to go through,” said the 25-year-old, who was born in Valasske Mezirici in the Czech Republic prior to moving to Prostejov.

“But, if you’re going to have nine or 16 Grand Slams under your belts, the popularity is definitely going to get much, much higher. For the moment though, I’m quite happy with the way things are.”

Berdych then is more than satisfied to shun the glare of the limelight in favour of more familiar surroundings back home, where the 2010 Wimbledon finalist is regarded as the same grounded individual he was prior to carving out a distinguished career on court.

“That’s probably why I like to choose a small city because everybody there knows me well. I’m not considered unique to them,” he continued.

“They know that I’ve been there since I was 12 years of age and I’m now pretty much the same as I was before. I haven’t changed, as could sometimes happen to other people in similar circumstances.

“The people just leave it like that and that’s a good thing. I have an easy time and don’t have to think to myself: ‘I won’t go here or there for some reason or other.’”

Nonetheless, Berdych does also reside in Monte Carlo, Monaco, where you’d expect the reception and treatment of him to be slightly different to that in the Czech Republic.

However, it appears the abundance of sports stars there simply makes Berdych yet another eminently recognisable face in a large crowd.

“I’m probably one of the latest ‘stars’ that you can find on the list who lives there, so I don’t think that’s a problem there!” he quipped.

“Roger (Federer) would of course be the one very, very well known there. But, that’s what is nice about the place in that the people there are really used to the names and the stars and everything, so that’s even easier.”

alex@khaleejtimes.com