ATP MASTERS: World Tour Finals, London 2014

With that set for Ferrer, Federer is now through.

Nishi has struck some absolutely sublime shots today!

Are you in the tennis business or just a fan?

noleisthebest wrote:Nishi has struck some absolutely sublime shots today!

So what's his excuse about the wrist now?

Tenez wrote:Are you in the tennis business or just a fan?

I wish I could say I was in the tennis business, but alas, I am just a fan.

Good match for Nishikori. Hope he can sustain the level of play of the third set to challenge Djokovic.

The withdrawal of Raonic made qualification tougher on Murray, but the audience got a good match at last. Bravo Ferru for the effort! And Nishikori's shotmaking was awesome, just enjoy watching how light he is on his feet and how effortless he can redirect pace, definitely a favourite among the young(ish) ones. If only there weren't all these MTOs that smell very much of gamesmanship, I'd love him. If he can reproduce this quality of shotmaking, he'll give Djokovic a match.

I'm so hoping Kei qualifies, so Fed better win a set. Murray under immense pressure now, Fed without any as he is qualified either way, don't think he'll kill himself out there. Will want to qualify in first place though hopefully that'll give him some motivation.

So Federer might wish to come second to face Djoko in semi....or he might decide who woudl be best sent to tire Djoko in the semi and play around with the score to send Murray or Nishi.

Interesting!

No, he can either qualify first with the win of a set, or lose in straights and be second. There is no way Murray will come in second.

Are you sure about that ?

Rather sure. First is match wins which results in a three way tie if Murray wins. Next is set win percentage which would see Fed and Nishikori in front of Murray if Fed can snatch a set. 

Then comes H2H which Fed wins to Nishikori.

To add, if Murray wins in straights, Nishikori is out due to set win percentage and Murray is first due to h2h.

Autumnleaf wrote:To add, if Murray wins in straights, Nishikori is out due to set win percentage and Murray is first due to h2h.

Ah got it, thanks.

Kim Jong-Un wrote:

Autumnleaf wrote:To add, if Murray wins in straights, Nishikori is out due to set win percentage and Murray is first due to h2h.

Ah got it, thanks.

So are you saying the number of games don't count? I don't think that's the case. The number of w/l games then come into play before the H2H.

Game percentage only comes into play in a three way tie when set percentage couldn't separate. If it's a two-way tie after set percentage, h2h is the decider.

Tenez wrote:

Kim Jong-Un wrote:

Autumnleaf wrote:To add, if Murray wins in straights, Nishikori is out due to set win percentage and Murray is first due to h2h.

Ah got it, thanks.

So are you saying the number of games don't count? I don't think that's the case. The number of w/l games then come into play before the H2H.

Autumnleaf is right (he explained on his reply). Here is the official site:

Singles Group B qualification scenarios 
1) Regardless of score, if R. FEDERER defeats A. MURRAY then R. FEDERER wins the group and K. NISHIKORI qualifies 2nd.
2) If A. MURRAY defeats R. FEDERER in 2 then A. MURRAY wins the group and R. FEDERER qualifies 2nd.
3) If A. MURRAY defeats R. FEDERER in 3 sets then R. FEDERER wins the group and K. NISHIKORI qualifies 2nd.

Hope this helps!

It's interesting that Fed-Murray H2H is 11:11 atm.

From that point of view, I think Fed will go for the win and won't spare himself in the least.

Even more interesting is the fact Nole can "let" Berdych win and qualify for the SF in which he will play Fed.
That's provided Stan loses to Cilic.

Still, I doubt he'll go down that route as he will want to seal number one with tomorrow's win, and I bet he'll go for another demolition expedition.

I remember one year, I think it was 2009, when Fed beat or lost to Delpo within one single game, he managed the only concievable score which had Murray not make the SF.

Nobody, not even the commentators knew who had qualified after the match, it was so quirky, it took ATP a few hours to come out with who qualified as everyone thougt Murray's SF was guaranteed.

Roger, of course knew it all the time.
It was one of the sweetest revenges in tennis I have ever seen, as the year before (last year of the tournament being played in Shanghai), Murray killed himself to beat Fed in his last RR match and he didn't need the win at all.
That was the only time I saw Fed receive an MTO (on his back).

So...a lot of history on the line tonight, will be fun!

I don't think Federer gives 2 hoots about the h2h...  it doesnt really matter to a pro like him.  They want titles.

What a point from Fed...just love the droshot-lob combo, old school...you can't beat it for craft!

Go Roger!

Murray realising muscles are no use against guile and variety...they are actually making him play slower.

Fed demolishing Murray who is playing ultra crap btw...what a FH!

He,he...Murray's getting desperate, going for Fed at the net twice in a row!
Lendl's school

Go on Roger, bagel him!

Bagel...
WOW!!!!!

What a set of tennis from Fed, dear me....
That deserves a nice glass of wine...

Really look forward to seeing him on Saturday!

As predicted... demolition job.

FedererKing wrote:I don't think Federer gives 2 hoots about the h2h...  it doesnt really matter to a pro like him.  They want titles.

Oh yes he does...couldn't you tell there was no love lost between the two?

GOAT!

noleisthebest wrote:

FedererKing wrote:I don't think Federer gives 2 hoots about the h2h...  it doesnt really matter to a pro like him.  They want titles.

Oh yes he does...couldn't you tell there was no love lost between the two?

I don't think he cares.  Most professionals don't care about h2h which is why you never see them mention it,.

I can't believe how unprofessional some players have been at this prestigious tournament.
Disgrace.

However, he will be happy with this score and humiliation job.

So good to see Federer using the different shots from his repertoire tonight. I know that once again it was a one sided match but that was mightily impressive stuff.

Found this Edberg interview from 2009. What a gem from 0:55 onwards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J4-CG02GQs

Did not see the match. Was Murray injured? impaired? 0 and 1 seems particularly bad!

Wow, that was rather straightforward.  Too bad Fed missed out on a double bagel - he was 0-30 up on Andy's serve at 5:0 - but all-in-all, who am I to complain?

Andy was really poor though.

Tenez wrote:Did not see the match. Was Murray injured? impaired? 0 and 1 seems particularly bad!

That is the most logical thing to deduce, but I doubt Murray was injured.
If there was any injury, it was psychosomatic fatigue, same as with Nishikori, just a way of coping with pressure: Nishi takes MTOs, Murray just folds mentally and goes super passive.

His problem last night was Federer who sensed it and went into an ultra aggressive mode, worsening Murray's malaise. He simply couldn't cope with bith the pressure of having to beat Fed in straights and on top Fed who played superb even for his own standards.

It was majestic and ugly all in one.

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:Did not see the match. Was Murray injured? impaired? 0 and 1 seems particularly bad!

That is the most logical thing to deduce, but I doubt Murray was injured.
If there was any injury, it was psychosomatic fatigue, same as with Nishikori, just a way of coping with pressure: Nishi takes MTOs, Murray just folds mentally and goes super passive.

His problem last night was Federer who sensed it and went into an ultra aggressive mode, worsening Murray's malaise. He simply couldn't cope with bith the pressure of having to beat Fed in straights and on top Fed who played superb even for his own standards.

It was majestic and ugly all in one.

I couldn't see it, but your perceptions make up the whole picture of this Godzi's slaughter story really well. The quality of both is on the opposite poles of the Earth.

I expected that Murray could win about 5 games in total, only 1 that is a laugh to the crowds, who must have had a lot of fun.

I din't think Murray even won that one game, it was more Fed throwing it away, although I don't think he tanked it, which I am glad about.
It was interesting to observe Fed during the last changeover, just before Murray was going to serve at 0:5, he looked a bit distressed.

This has been a very unusual WTF in that regard.
As if all players except Fed and Nole (and partly Nishi) turned their engines off before this tournament, losing all the momentum they had fighting to come to London.
Then, trying to restart their cold motors,  they kept digging themselves into a muddy rut deeper and deeper while Nole's and Fed's kept purring and pulling off in 5th gear.

Last night's match was a climax of that trend.

Hopefully, we'll have better contests on Saturday and Sunday.

Or maybe, Fed and Nole are really in a league of their own.

Federer came out to play last night, completely dismantled Murray's game. The most interesting point for me which set the tone for the match was the third one in the match with Federer serving being down 0-30 (2 pretty stupid errors if iirc). Then this 35 (!) shot rally followed which ended on an error of Murray. This kind of consistency signaled that the Fed groundgame was dialed in, waiting for errors pointless. Gave Fed an awful lot of confidence in his shots (he mentioned it in the post match interview too) and discouraged Murray.

Murray seemed to go into catatonic state after being broken in his first service game. He was playing a defensive game without any consistency - a receipt for disaster. Though playing aggressively wasn't an option either, because he just coughed up errors whenever he tried to go just for a little bit more.

Agree that Murray didn't win that game, don't know whether to call it tanking, but Federer surely went easy on him in that return game and said that he was kind of relieved that Murray won that game. Murray would only have been the second guy in 10 years to be doublebagled at the YEC, not the kind of record he is looking for, surely.

Fed can make final with that form, but needs higher than <40% first serve %age to have any chance for a win.

I expect that another ruthless beatdown is about to start in a few minutes time, will Djokovic go for a doublebagel? Don't think he'll let Berdych win to give him a shot at Fed, because that isn't going to happen anyway with the form Cilic is in. Plus, Nishikori is dangerous, though his serve is worrying.

Woow - I love OTF. Great objective descriptions of matches. Thanks NITB and AL.

Number One for the third year, bravo Nole!

Jimmy Arias on Tennis Channel saying the new blue lighting they are using to light up the crowd- compared to crowd being darked out in the past-  is whats to blame for the serving issues. Said players have complained behind the scenes.

Congrats to Nole on #1.    Now Nadal has an exact same era player with equal year ends and about to be more weeks at #1.

Fed now the oldest #2 in history of modern era rankings.

Fed says WTF and DC titles will make a good year great!!   Go for it!!

truffin1 wrote:...Fed says WTF and DC titles will make a good year great!!   Go for it!!

Yes but he is not there yet!

Bit of shame he plays this eve instead of this afternoon. The 6 hours difference between the day and eve match are going to be crucial!..for a 33yo.

I find it frustrating that those TDs are only interested in the match title and not the fairness, let alone result of the match. For them "djoko v Fed" is what matters as this is what fills the seats, whereas for us fans, in the vast majority, we want a fair match between a young player and an older player who needs more time to recover, and I am pretty sure the vast majority want Federer to win but above want a fresher Fed able to give Djoko a good run.

I sold my afternoon tickets when I realised it was Djoko v Nishi. It coudl be a good match though....only if Nishi turns up.

I think TDs were very mindful of Federer's age, which is why his group started first.
Unlike Nole, he's already had a day of rest before his SF.

Still, it's weird they scheduled yesterday's SF qualifiers to play first, giving them less time to recover.

It's not a working day anyway, so I don't think evening slot made any difference to ticket buyers.

I am glad I have covered all scenarios

Yes fed had a day of rest but it is npt going to be of any use if he has 6 hours less rest than Djoko over 24h. That's 25% less time to recover and at 33, those things certainly make a difference. Eve matches will always be more popular cause it's difficult to ask people to seat in a sofa in the middle of the day.

Tenez wrote:Yes fed had a day of rest but it is npt going to be of any use if he has 6 hours less rest than Djoko over 24h. That's 25% less time to recover and at 33, those things certainly make a difference. Eve matches will always be more popular cause it's difficult to ask people to seat in a sofa in the middle of the day.

He is playing Stan and Stan is anything but  not a road-runner. So this game irrespective of the outcome should not be too taxing for Fed match wise. But after-match interviews, press etc. can take time.

Nishi

Could be a short afternoon.

Hello from O2, sat right behind the service line, currently Nishi serving.
He looks a but out of sorts, just DF-ed.

Some lovely shots from both, though.

Nole's BH rocks!

Btw, I am sat right in the middle of a row full of Jappos
White wine in need of refill, looks like another washout...

noleisthebest wrote:Btw, I am sat right in the middle of a row full of Jappos
White wine in need of refill, looks like another washout...

Enjoy this match while it lasts

what a disaster the 3rd set is turning out to be... Nishikori was 2 BPs up in the opening game.. squandered those with silly errors.... now facing the Bagel..

Yeah, Nishi was playing so well at that time, and then he looked very nervous on BPs and it went downhill from there