Berdych entry completes Kooyong field
Czech Tomas Berdych will complete the eight-man field at the AAMI Classic, with the No 6 polishing his Australian Open preparation at the final tune-up, officials confirmed on Sunday.
Organisers at the former home of the Open had been holding a possible place for Rafael Nadal, but the injured Spaniard delayed his comeback to tennis yet again due to a stomach virus after more than six months away with knee problems.
Berdych helped the Czechs to glory in November's Davis Cup final over Spain. His entry completes a line-up comprising Juan Del Potro, Lleyton Hewitt, Milos Raonic, Janko Tipsarevoic, Juan Monaco, Kei Nishikori and Marcos Baghdatis.
Berdych lost in the Chennai quarterfinals and felt that he needed more matches heading into the major at Melbourne Park.
The Czech won 2012 titles in Montpelier and Stockholm and reached the finals at the Madrid Masters, Dusseldorf and Winston Salem.
