Tomas Berdych undaunted by Rafael Nadal`s superiority

Melbourne: Tomas Berdych said Sunday he is far from downhearted about his long losing streak against Rafael Nadal and their looming Australian Open quarter-final showdown will be a fresh start.

The power-serving Czech seventh seed proved too strong for Australia`s Bernard Tomic in their fourth round match, winning in straight sets to advance to the last eight for a third straight year in Melbourne.

Berdych, a semi-finalist last year, has yet to drop a set at the tournament after overpowering the 66th-ranked Tomic 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2.

The win set up a tough-looking assignment with world number three Nadal, who leads 18-3 in their encounters, the last 17 in a row since Berdych`s last win in 2006.

But the undaunted Czech is looking for a fresh challenge under new coach Dani Vallverdu and sees the Nadal showdown as an opportunity.

"Every slam is different. Every opponent, even if is the same one, then the match is different," Berdych said.

"So, no. It`s going to start from 0-0. That`s how it is. No comparing with the past. Just trying to be in this time and looking forward to it."

Berdych is in good heart with his all-round game too much for Tomic on Margaret Court Arena before a pro-Australian crowd.

"I was feeling good on the court. It`s not easy, the crowd was great but they`re on the other side," he said.

"I`m not complaining about it, but I`m just saying that was the set-up of today`s match. I`m happy with the way I handled it and glad to be in the quarter-finals."

The big-serving Berdych fired too many rockets for Tomic, winning 85 percent of his first serves and crunching 52 winners, 17 of them aces.

Berdych was taken to a tiebreaker in the second set after zipping through the opening set in 27 minutes but was always in command, losing only three points.

Tomic offered little in the final set with the Czech cruising to victory. Tomic only had one break point against Berdych`s potent serve.

"He played very good from the start. It was tough for me. He was hitting that ball so well, like he always does," Tomic said of Berdych.

"He`s an amazing player. When he`s playing good, you cannot do nothing. You just have to stick in the match and hopefully turn it around.

"Today he was just playing well and he was going for his shots. There was not a lot I could do."