GLOBAL CHICK CHECKS IN @ THE BARCLAYS & GIVES US HER THOUGHTS

Written by: on 8th November 2014
GLOBAL CHICK CHECKS IN @ THE BARCLAYS & GIVES US HER THOUGHTS  |

Day 1 at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals – Preview

 

It’s raining, it’s pouring – isn’t that how the nursery rhyme goes. Oh we are sure there is some historical significance to the lines, but really what it all comes down to is this. On Sunday we can all race into the cavernous dome that is the O2 which is, let’s face it, the shape of a giant umbrella – handy. We will listen to whatever has been picked out to replace The Clash’s London Calling, and it is the start of the 2014 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Who better to start things off than Britain’s very own home grown hero Andy Murray who will take on Kei Nishikori in what is probably a surprisingly even-handed group (compared to Group A, the group of a million … well three Slam winners, oh and Tomas Berdych!)

So what can we expect from Murray? His gamble paid off and he made the elite cut, and somewhere along the way broke his title drought, out ground David Ferrer and beat Tommy Robredo twice culminating in maybe the best net exchange in the history of the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So just how weary is Lord Murray of Greenwich feeling?

“It’s been such a long few weeks but I still feel pretty good when I get up in the mornings,” he said.

“It’s not like I’m as fresh as a daisy. I’m fatigued – but I’m match tight. I’m making good decisions on the court, I’m not having any lulls in the matches. It wasn’t the easiest position to be in but I had to do it if I wanted to try to finish in the top eight. Thankfully I’ve managed to do it, and my body has held up.”

For Kei Nishikori, it’s a debut here after a standout year, despite various injuries and limbs doing their best to inhibited the plucky Japanese player, and he and Murray are tied in their head to head, so the post-lunch crowd might have a pleasingly tense struggle to help them get over the Sunday roast.

Meanwhile the night crowd get to see Roger Federer who was usurped by young rookie Milos Raonic in Paris – We guess no-one beats Milos Raonic seven times in a row. But can the Canadian do it again? Another first timer to the O2, it would do his position no end of good to know he can key in to that serve and some of the best tennis he has ever shown us again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It would have to be up there definitely at this stage of my career, with the level I have gotten myself to, that’s for sure,” commented Raonic on the upset victory. “And considering all the circumstances around it, I think this was the biggest win for me.”

“I think he played well,” said Federer. “Clearly he served well when he had to. I mean, it was a classic indoor match. Few shots here and there went his way today Really credit to him. When I did have the chance, he was there, as well. I didn’t do much wrong, either.

He continued: “It hurts to lose that way, but he deserves credit for serving the way he did and doing those passing shots the way he had to do it. In the tie-break in the first set, he took risks and it worked out.”

Alas for young Raonic, it all comes down to London the faintest of chances for Federer to snare the World No. 1 from the hands of new father Novak Djokovic, and he has to be the overwhelming (crowd) favourite to close out Day 1 under the Dome.

Murray and Nishikori are on court at 2pm, with Federer and Raonic on at 8pm (GMT).

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