So then. Who fancies facing Rafael Nadal in the Madrid Masters final on clay, the Spaniard’s natural habitat? Welcome to LIVE coverage of Stanislas Wawrinka’s semi-final match against Tomas Berdych.

WAWRINKA BEATS BERDYCH 6-3 4-6 6-4 - Interesting. Wawrinka wins the opening point after Berdych misses. The Czech responds with a powerful serve but sends an easy shot at the net long. 15-30. Half a chance for Wawrinka. Wow, a long forehand gives Wawrinka two match points. He puts the first in the tramlines though. Second chance... Berdych sends a forehand wide. What a turnaround. Ten minutes ago he was all but out. Now he’s in the final where Nadal awaits.

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-6 5-4 - Wawrinka has the momentum back again. Very topsy-turvy. His serve is back on song and he leads 30-0. His backhand isn’t half bad too as he rifles one over the net which Berdych can only net. A wide return and Wawrinka has turned this set on its head. If he breaks in the next game he’s into the final.

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-6 4-4 - A long Wawrinka return, one of many we’ve seen today, hands the Czech 30-15. But that’s better from the Swiss player as he wins a backhand duel to level the game. Berdych misses to hand Wawrinka a crucial break point. His first for an hour. And that’s disappointing as Wawrinka fires a second serve miles out for deuce. But a cracking forehand winner gives him another break point. Is this his moment? Oh yes, Berdych nets. The match is levelled.

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-6 3-4 - Wawrinka can’t deal with this increased performance from Berdych and he looks a beaten man. And he will be a beaten man if he doesn’t get himself in gear as he gives away another two break points. He does well to force Berdych into a long forehand but the pressure hasn’t vanished just yet. Now it has, good response. A body serve from Wawrinka hands him advantage in deuce, the crowd cry with encouragement, and a long return sees him hold. He's still in it. Just.

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-6 2-4 - Almost a chance for Wawrinka to immediately strike back, but Berdych shows a ruthless streak to close the door and bring up 40-30. An outswinging serve seals it. He’s just two games away and has finally started producing the sort of tennis that landed him the number six spot in the world.

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-6 2-3 - It’s fair to say the Madrid crowd have chosen Wawrinka as their favourite to face local lad Nadal. Whether that's because they fancy the Spaniard to dispose of him easier than his opponent remains to be seen. Wawrinka wilting under the pressure slightly and he gifts Berdych 0-30. He should be back in with a simple put away at the net, but he changes his mind and lets Berdych back in the point. It’s three break points. And Berdych calmly sees it out. Game over?

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-6 2-2 - You just get the sense that Wawrinka needs to win the opening point in the Berdych service game to have any chance of breaking. And he’s not done it this time as he sends a groundstroke long of the baseline. After a minor hiccup at 15-30 Berdych recovers to earn himself game point. Wow. Berdych fires the shot of the match down the line from a very tricky position. 2-2.

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-6 2-1 - Decent from Wawrinka, moving about the court – even sliding on occasions – with ease and refusing to go away. He appears to have rediscovered his serve. A long backhand from Berdych from the baseline and that’s the game over.

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-6 1-1 - After that first set nightmare, Berdych is serving very well. The turning point was him changing his racket; it’s completely altered this match. Nothing much to note expect the important stuff: another Berdych hold to love.

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-6 1-0 - Time for a decider. Good opening point comes to an end when Wawrinka sends a backhand wide but he soon gets his neck ahead with a 40-30 lead before sealing the game with a tasty shot down the line. Considering this is a semi-final, it’s been a little flat and devoid of inspiration. Neither player has hit top form. In fact they haven’t left third gear.

BERDYCH WINS SECOND SET 6-4 - Just what the Berdych camp needed: an opportunity. And he’s seizing it with both hands as he flies around the court to take a 40-0 lead. Wawrinka can’t return a crosscourt Berdych forehand and we’re going to three sets. I bet Mr Nadal will have a very wide grin occupying the lower half of his face right now...

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-5 - Berdych imposes himself on the Wawrinka service game to get a small opening at 15-30. Two accurate Swiss serves prevent any break points but Berdych fights back for deuce. The Czech takes the next point before outlasting his rival in a long rally to give him break point. Berdych tries an ambitious shot down the line which fails but he soon creates a second opportunity. Great response from Berdych as Wawrinka nets. The Czech will serve for the second set.

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-4 - Change of racket for Berdych. Can it bring a change of fortune? Perhaps, a superb forehand down the line wins him the opening point. A long forehand from Wawrinka and a powerful first serve means it’s now three game points. Unsurprisingly he holds. To love. He has barely missed a serve in this set.

WAWRINKA 6-3 4-3 - Wawrinka hits a huge forehand from just inside the baseline past his outstretched opponent. And a superb backhand winner hands him two game points, before a crosscourt forehand means he leads 4-3 in the second.

WAWRINKA 6-3 3-3 - It’s character number one again from Berdych. He is serving expertly in this second set and Wawrinka can’t get amongst it. The Czech wins the game with a big volley at the net. Pressure back on Wawrinka.

WAWRINKA 6-3 3-2 - Berdych appears to be playing two different characters in this set. The first, when he’s on serve, is a confident individual who goes for his shots and manoeuvres his opponent. The second, when returning, is a timid man, a man playing with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Wawrinka, the world number 15, fends off the superior ranked Berdych again.

WAWRINKA 6-3 2-2 - Berdych is making a fist of this and puts the pressure straight back on his opponent. A combination of powerful forehands, serves and volleys are rewarded by a simple, and very crucial, hold.

WAWRINKA 6-3 2-1 - Wawrinka refuses to let his opponent have a sniff as he races into a 30-0 lead. Poor shot though from the Swiss player as he nets a very playable ball before Berdych plays a looping forehand right onto the baseline which Wawrinka can’t control. A Federer-esque shot hands Wawrinka game point and he seals the game with a solid serve.

WAWRINKA 6-3 1-1 - It’s a gruelling slog to start this game with both players having to display their full armoury of ground strokes. It’s Berdych who prevails. That mini victory appears to have boosted him, he’s moving slightly better and a couple of fine serves hand him a 40-15 advantage. A long Wawrinka return and we’re level in the second set.

WAWRINKA 6-3 1-0 - A powerful sweeping Wawrinka forehand hands him the initiative at the start of the second set before he follows it up with an equally delicious forehand. He almost brings up 40-0 with a lovely drop shot, but Berdych somehow manages to loop it back over the net before sealing the point. A Berdych forehand then finds the line and we are poised at 30-30. Panic averted, Wawrinka takes the next point and then seals the game with an ace.