London Saturday Summary

Written by: on 9th November 2013
Novak Djokovic vs Richard Gasquet
London Saturday Summary

epa03943223 Richard Gasquet from France reacts after losing a point against Novak Djokovic from Serbia during their group B singles match in the round robin stage at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in the O2 Arena in London, Britain, 09 November 2013. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA  |

****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******

* Federer comes back from deficit in all three sets to beat del Potro

* Djokovic wins meaningless match with Gasquet

* Bryans qualify for doubles semifinals — just barely.

 

****** TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS ******

London

 

Singles – Round Robin: (6) R Federer def. (4) J del Potro 4-6 7-6(7-2) 7-5

Roger Federer’s shoes got quieter as this match went on. This was a good sign: the guy with the loudest-squeaking shoes on this surface is the guy who’s being outrun by the other guy’s shots. At 1-5 down in the first set, when Federer was beginning to look like a forlorn figure, they were loud; by 6-5 in the third, serving for the match, they were triumphantly quiet. “It’s one of those matches he probably should have closed out, found a way, but honestly, I think I also played actually good tennis to come back,” Federer said. Whatever moments of uncertainty he had — and he said he was more angry than defeated when he went down 0-3 to open the third set — they were gone by match point. He closed out the match with an ace.

Not only does this put Federer in the semifinal, it means that he rises past Tomas Berdych to (probably) the #6 ranking. He could even move past del Potro to earn the #5 ranking — if he can somehow win the title after all this. In any case, the year-end Top Four are now set: Nadal #1, Djokovic #2, Ferrer #3, Murray #4. Del Potro will be #5 unless Federer wins the title, in which case Federer gets that spot.

Singles – Round Robin: (2) N Djokovic def. (8) R Gasquet 7-6(7-5) 4-6 6-3

This match wasn’t exactly meaningless — Richard Gasquet can use the points as he tries to stay Top Ten next year, and for Novak Djokovic, he needs everything he can get if he is to threaten Rafael Nadal’s top ranking in the first part of 2014. But both players knew that it wouldn’t affect the outcome here; Djokovic was in the semifinal win or lose, and Gasquet was out. Amazing, in the circumstances, that they fought such a good match. But Gasquet rarely wins nailbiters…. He ends the year at #9. Djokovic at least keeps himself within 1300 points of Nadal — for now.

Doubles – Round Robin: (3) Dodig/Melo def. (5) Qureshi/Rojer 7-5 3-6 11-9

This match too was essentially meaningless; we knew that Dodig/Melo would make the semifinal and Qureshi/Rojer wouldn’t. Dodig/Melo were playing to try to go undefeated; Qureshi/Rojer were trying to go un-devictoried. But Qureshi/Rojer end up 0-3, last in their group and done for the year. Dodig/Melo, who are 3-0, win their group.

Doubles – Round Robin: (1) Bryan/Bryan def. (8) Fyrstenberg/Matkowski 4-6 6-3 10-5

For a while, it looked as if the year really would end with a whimper for the Bryans. They came very close to falling short of the semifinal here. They’ve struggled in every match they’re played this week, each time facing a match tiebreak. But they won two of those and they’re in the semis, which is probably all they care about. Fyrstenberg/Matkowski, who are 1-2, are done for the year.

Since the Bryans are second in the group, we will have an interesting semifinal, the Bryans, seeded #1, against #2 Peya/Soares. The other semifinal has Dodig/Melo facing Marrero/Verdasco. If experience at the year-end Championships matters, the Bryans have more than all the others combined. But that has helped them only slightly so far….

 

****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******

KEYWORDS: No Feature Today

 

******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********

THIS WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:

London (Championships/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Novak Djokovic

NEXT WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:

Davis Cup Final

 

******** STATS AND FACTS ********

RANKINGS

 

Estimated ATP World Tour RACE

As of November 9, 2013

 

Rank &

Prior…Player………..Points

1..(1) Nadal………….12480

2..(2) Djokovic……….11210

3..(3) Ferrer………….5800

4..(4) Murray………….5790

5..(5) Del Potro……….5075

6..(7) Federer…………4205

7..(6) Berdych…………4090

8..(8) Wawrinka………..3640

9..(9) Gasquet…………3300

10.(10) Tsonga………….3065

11.(11) Raonic………….2860

12.(12) Haas……………2435

13.(13) Almagro…………2290

14.(14) Isner…………..2150

15.(15) Youzhny…………2145

16.(16) Fognini…………1930

17.(17) Nishikori……….1915

18.(18) Robredo…………1810

19.(19) Simon…………..1790

20.(20) Anderson………..1685

21.(21) Janowicz………..1615

22.(22) Kohlschreiber……1525

23.(23) Dimitrov………..1520

24.(24) Gulbis………….1393

25.(25) Seppi…………..1360

26.(26) Paire…………..1345

27.(27) Melzer………….1315

28.(28) Lopez…………..1310

29.(29) Tursunov………..1244

30.(30) Verdasco………..1235

 

**DRAWS

London — Week of November 4

 

GROUP A……NADAL….FERRE….BERDY….WAWRI….W/L……Sets

1 Nadal……*****….NADAL….NADAL….NADAL….3/0……6/1

7 Wawrinka…NADAL….WAWRI….WAWRI….*****….2/1……4/4

5 Berdych….NADAL….BERDY….*****….WAWRI….1/2……4/4

3 Ferrer…..NADAL….*****….BERDY….WAWRI….0/3……1/6

 

GROUP B……DJOKO….DEL P….FEDER….GASQU….W/L……Sets

2 Djokovic…*****….DJOKO….DJOKO….DJOKO….3/0……6/3

6 Federer….DJOKO….FEDER….*****….FEDER….2/1……5/3

4 del Potro..DJOKO….*****….FEDER….DEL P….1/2……4/5

8 Gasquet….DJOKO….DEL P….FEDER….*****….0/3……2/6

 

SEMIFINAL

1 Nadal

Federer

 

Wawrinka

2 Djokovic

 

******** SCORES ********

SATURDAY

London

Singles – Round Robin

(2) N Djokovic def. (8) R Gasquet 7-6(7-5) 4-6 6-3

(6) R Federer def. (4) J del Potro 4-6 7-6(7-2) 7-5

Doubles – Round Robin

(1) Bryan/Bryan def. (8) Fyrstenberg/Matkowski 4-6 6-3 10-5

(3) Dodig/Melo def. (5) Qureshi/Rojer 7-5 3-6 11-9

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