THE FINAL SHOWDOWN: DJOKOVIC VS. FEDERER IN LAST MATCH OF SEASON AT WORLD TOUR FINALS BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 15th November 2014

THE FINAL SHOWDOWN: DJOKOVIC VS. FEDERER IN LAST MATCH OF SEASON AT WORLD TOUR FINALS BY RICKY DIMON

epa04490958 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after beating Japan's Kei Nishikori in their semi final match at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, Britain, 15 November 2014. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

And so they meet again.

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will collide for the fourth time in their careers at the World Tour Finals in an appropriate end to the 2014 ATP season with the world No. 1 and world No. 2 facing each other in the title match of the year-end championship. It will reach a climax on Sunday evening at London’s O2 Arena.

The two great champions–legends, in fact—have squared off three times at this event, with Djokovic holding a 2-1 edge. Federer scored a 6-1, 6-4 semifinal victory in 2010 before the Serb won 7-6(6), 7-5 in the 2012 final and 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-2 during round-robin action last year.

Federer leads the overall head-to-head series 19-17, including 3-2 this season after most recently prevailing 6-4, 6-4 in last month’s Shanghai semifinals. Still, Djokovic has won five of their last eight meetings and he won their most important 2014 showdown, of course, 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-4 in the Wimbledon final.

“I think it’s going to be different,” Federer said, comparing this one to the Shanghai semifinal. “Conditions are definitely different here. Balls are different. Surface is a bit…maybe slower. I’m not sure. It just plays different; feels different.”

Switzerland’s Roger Federer serves to Switzerland’s Stanislav Wawrinka during the ATP World Tour Finals semi final match at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, 15 November 2014. EPA/ANDY RAIN

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic during their round robin match for the ATP World Tour Finals tennis tournament in London, Britain, 14 November 2014. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

We almost got a different final, too, and that’s an understatement. The second-ranked Swiss had to save four match points in his Saturday night semi against Stan Wawrinka before surviving 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(6). Wawrinka even served for the match at 5-4 in the third, with three match points in that game before seeing another go by the wayside at 6-5 in the tiebreaker. The all-Swiss thriller had been preceded by an extremely routine trek through Group B round-robin action for Federer. He took care of Milos Raonic, Kei Nishikori, and Andy Murray all in easy straight sets while being pushed to only one tiebreaker by Raonic.

Djokovic’s week has been an eerily similar one, although it did not feature quite as much drama in the semis. The two-time defending champion made quick work of Group A, destroying Marin Cilic, Stan Wawrinka, and Tomas Berdych. He appeared to be on course for more of the same against Nishikori, but a brief mental letdown resulted in the loss of a set during Djokovic’s 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 triumph.

“Today I found it a little bit difficult mentally to stay concentrated throughout the whole match,” Djokovic said following his defeat of Nishikori. “After emotional three matches, especially [against Berdych] when I achieved the goal to finish as No. 1 of the world, I felt a little bit flat emotionally.

Of course, [this is] one of the biggest tournaments in the world, aside of the Grand Slams. This is already the biggest possible motivation. I will try to give everything I have. But knowing just that tomorrow is the last match of the season, I’m sure that I will find any necessary drop of strength, mental and physical, to give it on the court.”

The motivation is there, and the expectations are as well. Anything less than a dramatic three-setter would be a disappointment.

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

Editors Note : Ricky’s Tennis website is great. Check it out. We just find it funny that the guy that’s usually watching tennis on the grandstands and outside courts watching guys ranked as low as 500 is at the London Showdown of the Barclays year end finals. The vote from the team around here Is RF. We know we are supposed to be impartial. But sorry there is only one Roger Federer. Maybe he is the reason Ricky came out from the trenches. ….

Topics: 02 Arena, Atp, Federer, London, Novak Djokovic, Ricky Dimon, Tennis News, World Tour Finals

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10sBalls_com says:

November 15, 2014 at 8:51 pm

THE FINAL SHOWDOWN: @DjokerNole VS. @rogerfederer IN LAST MATCH OF SEASON AT #WorldTourFinals BY @RD_Tennistalk- http://t.co/KwMIt1609M #ATP
54jas says:

November 15, 2014 at 8:58 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: THE FINAL SHOWDOWN: @DjokerNole VS. @rogerfederer IN LAST MATCH OF SEASON AT #WorldTourFinals BY @RD_Tennistalk- http://t…
appleyardbecky says:

November 16, 2014 at 12:07 am

RT @10sBalls_com: THE FINAL SHOWDOWN: @DjokerNole VS. @rogerfederer IN LAST MATCH OF SEASON AT #WorldTourFinals BY @RD_Tennistalk- http://t…