RICKY’S PICKS AND PREVIEW FOR TUESDAY IN LONDON: DJOKOVIC VS. FEDERER, BERDYCH VS. NISHIKORI

Written by: Staff on 16th November 2015

RICKY'S PICKS AND PREVIEW FOR TUESDAY IN LONDON: DJOKOVIC VS. FEDERER, BERDYCH VS. NISHIKORI

epa05028607 Britain's Andy Murray (R) in action against Spain's David Ferrer (L) during their singles Ilie Nastase group match at the ATP Tour tennis finals tournament at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, 16 November 2015. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

Ricky’s preview and picks for Tuesday in London: Djokovic vs. Federer, Berdych vs. Nishikori

By Ricky Dimon

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will have the unfamiliar feeling of facing each other just three days into a tournament when they collide during round-robin action at the World Tour Finals on Tuesday night. Djokovic and Federer are hoping to improve to 2-0, while both Tomas Berdych and Kei Nishikori are in borderline must-win situations.

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (3) Roger Federer

A tie will be broken–at least temporarily–when Djokovic and Federer square off for the 43rd time in their careers.

The head-to-head series stands at 21-21 following Djokovic’s 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 triumph in the U.S. Open final this summer. Djokovic has won four of six meetings in 2015, including four of the last five. The world No. 1 also prevailed in the Wimbledon title match via a 7-6(1), 6-7(10), 6-4, 6-3 scoreline. Federer’s two victories this season have come in Dubai (6-3, 7-5) and Cincinnati (7-6(1), 6-3).

Switzerland’s Roger Federer serves to Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic during their match at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, Britain, 15 November 2015. EPA/WILL OLIVER

This ends a streak of four consecutive encounters between the two players in finals. But they are not entirely strangers to early-tournament meetings, as they also battled in London round-robin competition in 2013. Djokovic took that match 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-2 to improve to 2-1 lifetime against Federer at this event. The Serb also got the job done in the 2012 championship match, while Federer came out on top in the 2010 semifinals. They were scheduled to vie for last year’s title, but the Swiss had to withdraw due to a back injury.

Federer is dealing with no such troubles now and can leave everything on the court without a Davis Cup final to worry about, as was the case in 2014. The 34-year-old, a recent champion in Basel, is a stellar 60-10 for his 2015 campaign after beating Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-2 on Sunday night. Federer won 12 of the last 16 games following a brief 2-0 first-set deficit.

Djokovic needed only one hour and five minutes–four minutes fewer than Federer–to roll over Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-1 on Sunday afternoon. The top seed is now 79-5 for the season and 23-0 in his last 23 matches since falling to Federer in Cincinnati.

Djokovic, the three-time defending champion, is looking too good for anyone at the moment–even for Federer–but do not be surprised if this is not the last time these two see each other on opposite sides of the net in London.

Pick: Djokovic in 3

(6) Tomas Berdych vs. (8) Kei Nishikori

Berdych and Kei Nishikori will be facing each other for just the fifth time in their careers and for the first time in more than three years.

Nishikori is leading the head-to-head series 3-1, including 3-0 on hard courts. Japan’s top player prevailed six years ago in Brisbane, on the indoor hard courts of Basel in 2011, and one season later in Tokyo. Berdych’s lone win came at the 2012 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, where he advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory.

Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic returns the ball to Switzerland’s Roger Federer during their match at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, Britain, 15 November 2015. EPA/WILL OLIVER

Both men are in dire need of a win on Tuesday to keep hope alive–and it will be extremely faint hope even for the victor given that Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are also in Group Stan Smith. Berdych opened with a 6-4, 6-2 loss to Federer, while Djokovic made quick 6-1, 6-1 work of Nishikori.

After going down to the world No. 1, Nishikori–who recently retired from a match against London alternate Richard Gasquet in Paris–admitted that he may not be 100 percent physically. He served at 53 percent against Djokovic and won a mere 43 percent of his first-serve points.

Berdych, who owns a decent six career match wins at the O2, should be able to capitalize. The seventh-ranked Czech can pounce on his opponent’s serve and can hit through this slow court far more easily than Nishikori.

Pick: Berdych in 2

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Kei Nishikori, London tennis, Novak Djokovic, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis News, Tomas Berdych, World Tour Finals

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10sBalls_com says:

November 16, 2015 at 9:42 am

-@Dimonator’s Picks And Preview For Tuesday In #London: @DjokerNole Vs @rogerfederer, @tomasberdych Vs @keinishikori
https://t.co/3kxtlNheFX