TENNIS NEWS FROM LONDON AND UPDATES ON THE BARCLAYS ATP CHAMPIONSHIPS

Written by: on 20th November 2015
ATP Tour tennis finals in London
TENNIS NEWS FROM LONDON AND UPDATES ON THE BARCLAYS ATP CHAMPIONSHIPS

epa05034656 David Ferrer of Spain in action against Rafael Nadal of Spain during their Round Robin match for the ATP World Tour Finals in London, Britain, 20 November 2015. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA  |

Heavy Weather But Djokovic Is Through To The Semi-Finals By Global Chick

Back and forth was the name of the game as Tomas Berdych put up a decent enough fight but it was not enough to prevent him from going 0/3 this year at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

 

In fact, the guys had to follow perhaps THE most thrilling match so far in the tournament when the Bryans squeaked past Jamie Murray and John Peers in their final match together as a pair. We hate the fact doubles doesn’t get enough coverage – and this match showed in bucket-loads why it should! It was tight, close, and seat of the pants stuff throughout. Marvelous!

 

We found a new friend this morning. Well in truth, probably our trench-footy boots were the attraction as the dog handlers were doing the rounds of the O2 for security purposes.

 

Anyway… back to Djokovic! He started promisingly, but Berdych did his darnedest to keep with him and actually put up a good fight, especially in the second set, even though by Djokovic’s own admission, it probably wasn’t the best tennis on show, but it made a change to see Berdych stick to some good old fashioned aggressive tennis.

Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in action against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic during the ATP Tour tennis finals tournament at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, 19 November 2015. EPA/ANDY RAIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Djokovic said: “He found a way to play better, aggressive, more efficient and tactically smart. I think today we played two close sets. We both could have done better.

 

“But, again, we both had a long season and we tried our best. Best changes day-to-day. But I’ve played him so many times, I think the last couple months he raised his level and managed to play some better tennis.”

 

So now we know – Djokovic will face Rafael Nadal, who is rounding into form very nicely, thank you very much!

 

Djokovic added: “I’ve played him so many times on different surfaces, two or three on this very court. Hopefully I’ll be able to perform my best, that’s what’s needed to compete against him.”

 

Rafael Nadal def. David Ferrer 7-6(2) 6-3 6-4

So onto this Nadal chap. Much like Federer, he did not really need to battle quite so hard, and heaven knows Ferrer toiled hard in the first set to reverse a quick start by the younger Spaniard (we hesitate to say more spritely – have you seen how much Ferrer hustles?), and Ferrer was just dominant in the the first set tie-break.

 

But this is as much about confidence now for Nadal. He needs wins like a flower needs the rain. That being said, any poor flowers stuck out in these wintry isles will have been blown to kingdom come over the past two days, so no matter!

 

It was a typical gritty, grindy, performance of brutality of whip forehand and baseline prowling. Goodness, I feel exhausted just writing about it. I mean, let’s face it, when it takes 14 minutes to establish a hold, you should get the trophy just for that, or at least take everyone in the stadium our for a drink!

 

You have to feel for Ferrer – he played for pride, not for gain today and his reward? A 0/3. Yet year after year he makes it to the finale. That has to count for someone, someday. But not today.

 

Wawrinka v Murray PREVIEW

Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka returns the ball to Spain’s Rafael Nadal during their singles Ilie Nastase group match of the ATP World Tour Finals tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, 16 November 2015. EPA/ANDY RAIN

Who are we trying to kid. For all sorts of reasons this is the one to watch. Wawrinka took about a match and a half to wake up and play, and when he did he completely clobbered through the hapless David Ferrer to set up this best of three shootout with Murray,

 

Meanwhile the Brit of course has Davis Cup on his mind – it’s something that Wawrinka will be acutely aware of. He had to do the very same last year, making it to the semi-finals and almost taking our Roger Federer, who then pulled out of the final the next day.

 

Murray has come in for stick and inquisitive ponderings these past weeks, after initially saying he perhaps would consider skipping the event, to deciding to prepare initially on clay, and then switch up, before heading to Ghent to prepare in the stadium itself.

 

He was strangely out of sorts in the second round-robin against an impressively improving Nadal, and this could be a bruising battle if Wawrinka is on. Honestly, if I could call this one, I would have galloped off to the nearest paper shop and bought a ticket for this weekend’s lottery.

 

After today we can put away out calculators, shut down our Excel spreadsheets and never utter the demon word ‘scenarios’ again for the rest of the year.

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