Novak Beats Rafa To Win London

Written by: on 11th November 2013
Rafael Nadal v Novak Djokovic
Novak Beats Rafa To Win London

epa03946018 Serbia's Novak Djokovic poses with the trophy after winning against Spain's Rafael Nadal during the final of the men's singles of the Barclays ATP World Tour tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, 11 November 2013. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA  |

****** PUBLICATION NOTE ******

 

With the ATP season over, we’re now going to shift both Men’s and Women’s news to the off-season schedule of Monday and Thursday issues. We won’t have much news in most of those editions, but there will be features. And we’ll have day-by-day Davis Cup coverage later this week.

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

 

* Djokovic defends London title

* Bryans finally lose a match tiebreak

****** TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS ******

 

London

 

Singles – Final: (2) N Djokovic def. (1) R Nadal 6-3 6-4

This day is more than an ordinary Veterans’ Day. It marked the ninety-fifth anniversary of the World War I armistice, with the hundredth anniversary of the conflict next year. Sunday was the seventy-fifth anniversary of Kristallnacht, and was Remembrance Day in Britain. If ever there was a day for memories, for sadness, for peace, Monday was surely it!

Maybe that’s why Rafael Nadal was initially so un-combative. He was broken easily in his first service game. Nadal did eventually get into things, even getting the break back, but then he again lost whatever it was he had found. He was broken again, and was broken in the third game of the second set. After that, it was mostly a matter of waiting for the end.

The result means that Nadal still hasn’t won the year-end Championships — clearly and obviously the most important gap in his resume. Still, he ends the year at #1, and by more than 700 points. He will probably be safe at least until Indian Wells. And it seems extremely likely that he will have another shot at this title next year.

It’s the second straight title here for Novak Djokovic, and his twenty-second straight singles win, and the third time he has won the event; he also won in 2008. He’s only halfway to Roger Federer’s total, but he’s working on it….

Doubles – Final: (6) Marrero/Verdasco def. (1) Bryan/Bryan 7-5 6-7(3-7) 10-7

And here we went again. For the fifth time in five matches here, the Bryans started slow and had to face a match tiebreak. And, for once, they couldn’t spring back. They went down an early minibreak in the match tiebreak, and never got it back. They still had one of the best years in ATP history, with eleven titles and three Slams and the year-end #1 ranking, but they don’t get the year-end Championships crown.

It is the best title ever for Marrero/Verdasco, whose only other title this year, believe it or not, was the 250 at St. Petersburg. They actually did better last year, when they won four titles. And this was the first time they had ever beaten the Bryans. But even if they didn’t win many titles, they went deep at a lot of events; it appears David Marrero will end the year at #5, with Verdasco a few spots below that.

Funny to think that the Spanish used to be so weak in doubles; since Granollers/Lopez were last year’s champions, this is the second straight year that a Spanish team has won.

****** 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 Rankings

As of November 11, 2013

 

Rank &

Prior…Player………..Points

1..(1) Nadal………….12880

2..(2) Djokovic……….12110

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…..FINAL…….WINNER

1 Nadal…….Nadal

Federer

 

Wawrinka

2 Djokovic….Djokovic….Djokovic

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

 

MONDAY

London

Singles – Final

(2) N Djokovic def. (1) R Nadal 6-3 6-4

Doubles – Final

(6) Marrero/Verdasco def. (1) Bryan/Bryan 7-5 6-7(3-7) 10-7

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