Tennis-Berdych follows Nishikori and withdraws from Miami

MIAMI, March 28 (Reuters) - World number one Rafa Nadal received a walkover into the final of the Sony Open when seventh seed Tomas Berdych pulled out with gastroenteritis on Friday just hours after Japan's Kei Nishikori withdrew, handing Novak Djokovic a free pass. Nishikori was forced out of the tournament with a groin injury. The shocking withdrawals left the Miami Masters event without any semi-final action but produced a mouth-watering final on Sunday featuring Nadal and Djokovic the world's two top-ranked players. With Berdych's withdrawal Nadal advances to the final for a fourth time where he will try for his first title on the Miami hardcourts against three-time champion Djokovic. (Reporting by Steve Keating in Miami. Editing by Gene Cherry)