Game, Set, Nash Tournament Diary 10th November

Written by: Staff on 10th November 2012

Game, Set, Nash Tournament Diary 10th November

epa03465294 Andy Murray of Britain returns to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France during their match at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, Britain, 09 November 2012. EPA/KERIM OKTEN |

A fantastic win for Murray last night. We saw something more of the showman he often hides from the world. He now had to prepare for an unknown opponent at an unknown start time.

True story – last night Manchester United’s legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was in the building, probably there to watch the doubles. And you know what? I bumped into him getting the tube at North Greenwich. I’d sort of clocked him and was thinking maybe I should ask for a picture with him or something, when the train arrived. It’s a fairly standard procedure, getting on a train, but when an autograph hunter stops the guy in front of you in the doorway.

The guy was in dreamland, I noticed his Man Utd cap and thought wow this might be making the guys year. But then the closing-door alarm sounded and they were still just there in the way. The doors started closing, and well I’m sorry, I’m getting on that train. I squeezed through between them and all three of us got hit by the doors. After they’d shut, the autograph hunter and I were on the inside, and he was looking mournfully through the doors as the train moved away. I’d somehow taken one guy with me, but as Schmeichel is what’s known in this neck of the woods ‘a bit of a unit’ I just sort of bounces off him.

Not only had he not got the signature, but Schmeichel still had his pen!

I felt bad for the guy, but I made my connecting train, so… it wasn’t all bad for everyone, and of course Peter had a new pen.

So! Another Roger Federer day at the O2, there’s always a great buzz around the whole place on Fed-days. He might not be the world number one, but he’s still the biggest crowd puller. He loves it here, and here loves him.

Group A had concluded with the expected names progressing, but Group B had been a little more interesting, if del Potro beat Federer they’d both go through and tonight’s match would be a dead rubber. Who would go through to face Andy and Novak?