Berdych takes it in stride

Tomas Berdych gets a shot at his second Grand Slam final in 52 attempts on Friday, but the perennial top-10 player from the Czech Republic will not shed any tears if he makes it but fails to lift the Wimbledon crown - provided he gives his all.

On Wednesday, Berdych ended Frenchman Lucas Pouille's unexpected love affair with the All England Club with a relatively routine 7-6 (4) 6-3 6-2 victory after a slow start against an opponent who had never won a match on grass before last week.

"I was trying to find my rhythm in the first set," said 10th seed Berdych, whose best showing at a major was at Wimbledon in 2010, when he lost in the final to Rafa Nadal.