ATP World Tour Finals LONDON 2013

Tenez wrote:I'd say Nadal Djoko....obviously.

I would have thought the same (and did think the same) before the Bercy SF. But the way Federer played and was able to completely confound Novak esp in the first set changed my mind. He is definitely back to his old self, and that "match being on his racquet" comment supports it as well.

This was what he said after Bercy SF:

"I played a lot of tennis during the past 10 or 12 days. It gave me a lot of information. I know what I have to do now. I know what I did well, what I can improve. I know physically where I am, and mentally I have a lot of confidence. I know my body is keeping it up."

Although this one from the same interview inclines more towards your opinion:

"I'm always excited about these challenges, I have had a good couple of weeks now, and the most important thing is to recover as much as I can, so maybe the extra day I will get over Novak now, who knows, could be an advantage. But I doubt it."

Yes that has always been Federer's problem for some time now. It seems he doesn't take the same recovery drinks as the others.

I remember already in 2008 he was saying that TMS were harder than slams for him cause you had to line up 5 matches in 7 days. with no resting day bewteen the final rounds.

He lost a big series of TMS (and USO09) by playing great tennis in the semi and being a shadow of himself in the final.

One of the few TMS he has won recently was helped by players giving him a w.o. on the route.

Last year 2012 WTF was a perfect example too of a Federer very tired. He was so much better than Djoko, yet could not close it after Djoko through the long rallies at the right time. He played a lot that year and certainly tired in that last week.

I think it's going to be a really good match, probably the match of the tournament, although I think we could easily see the repeat of it in the final on Monday.
Will go to O2 tonight, didn't manage to get a really close seat, but am still in the lower tier (similar to last year's final) so should be a good view.
I'm really glad I managed to even get the ticket, in fact as I left it until the order of play was out.
Will try to go for the SF day, we could have a Fedal on the cards, as well as a Nole-Stan.
I am making the most of it while I can

Lucky you....I did enjoy the few times I was there.

I find the scoring system of the WTF extremely unfair.

200pt per match is ridiculous. It's nearly one 250 atp tournament which requires 4 wins and 2 matches equates to 400points and a chance to bag much more.

I don;t understand why beating Berdych deserves 200pts....especially knowing he can easily beat himself up. Shoudl Stan beat Ferrer (Gasquet did it recently) and he gets a very healthy cushion over his next rival Gasquet who has not had the chance to play the same players but faced with the inform players of the moment. It's also a time of the year where top players might be tired or simply might not need it to goive 100% cause already qualified for semi.

The unfairness increases when comparing with the lower ranked players. a match won v Berdych is 10% of the points accumulated by atp ranked #15 in the world! and a much bigger share for those ranked lower. Shoudl Stan beat Ferrer as well, then it becomes 20% of points of Fognini hardly earnt over a year!

Amazing Leander Paes...still winning at the highest level 40!!!!

I see him as one of the top 5 if not top 3 most talented player of the last 2 decades. He was never physicsally big and fit enough to play well at singles though beating Pete in their sole encounter was clearly no coincidence to me.

It also proves that shotmaking often improves with age...certainly up to the mid 30s .

Well, that's how it is....and if that was the only unfair thing about ATP....
It is a unique tournament, a bit tougher than a standard Masters 1000, hence the max 1500 points for the unbeaten player.
still, it's the best of 3, and when you compare it to a slam and 7 matches and a max of 2000 points...
Nadal - Ferrer starting, Nadal jumping like a complete monkey in the tunnel, what is wrong with that man?

Let's see how much number one,really "doesn't mean" to him as he likes to point out "modestly".

Tenez wrote:Amazing Leander Paes...still winning at the highest level 40!!!!

I see him as one of the top 5 if not top 3 most talented player of the last 2 decades. He was never physicsally big and fit enough to play well at singles though beating Pete in their sole encounter was clearly no coincidence to me.

It also proves that shotmaking often improves with age...certainly up to the mid 30s .

You should see Zimonjic, 37, superb volleying, wonderful SBH, I have never seen anyone return serve with it like him.

Nadal playing his ultra-asphyxitating safe bludgeoning at the start of the match. Tennis at its very ugliest rock bottom.

VAMOS DAVEEEEEEED!

Ferrer getting broken 4 times out of ....4.

That was a shocker!
World number one vs world number 3
Don't know whether to or

noleisthebest wrote:Well, that's how it is....and if that was the only unfair thing about ATP....
It is a unique tournament, a bit tougher than a standard Masters 1000, hence the max 1500 points for the unbeaten player.
still, it's the best of 3, and when you compare it to a slam and 7 matches and a max of 2000 points...
Nadal - Ferrer starting, Nadal jumping like a complete monkey in the tunnel, what is wrong with that man?

Let's see how much number one,really "doesn't mean" to him as he likes to point out "modestly".

Did you see him pulling on both sides of the back of his shorts and the "front" of his shorts several times in the 10 seconds he was waiting at the entrance to be announced?  That was bizarre.. has to be an OCD ritual.  The butt picking was one thing, but this new adjusting himself in front of the world is really disgusting.. then he takes 5 steps and grabs the hand of the little ball girl...shutter....

I did see it....disturbing and weird. I seriously don't understand what any woman can like about that man. For blokes, he must be a substitute for Mr Muscle who is winning all their list daily battles.
Strange times we are living in....

Greetings from the O2!

anyone got a stream? mine doesn't work

got one.
wow what a winner djoko.

Fed looks pretty sluggish.

Nole's serve looking very good, BH excellent. Match feels a bit quiet for some reason. Should light up soon .

Match hotting up nicely. The thing Ilove about wathing tennis live I feel like I am playing it

FedERROR

Yes very solid from Djoko....good serving from Fed but his fh is still hesitant.

Fed looks almost like he is tanking the match. He is either not 100% or does not want to waste too much energy in this match, a bit disappointing.

WHATS GOING ON?!??!!?

Tenez wrote:Yes very solid from Djoko....good serving from Fed but his fh is still hesitant.

Yes, he's almost like Gasquet atm

ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz

Fed's finally tuned his BH, but from here , looks more like Nole's dip

I think you'all are still pretty mild. I'm annoyed to bits by the way Fed plays. Now and then a nice shot (peevishly executed though) and that's it.
It's all so forceless. He just broke but you can see from miles away he's never going to win this match.

You are right GP, this ain't
Fed from that SF in Bercy. Very strange and almost flat match.

It's flat because djoko is dictating and doing enough to win/break back.
It gets good when feds turns it up, which is too rare.

Both players looking tired atm...

novak goes walkies.

To be fair, nitb, i thought in Bercy it was shifty at best. Like entire 2013 to be precise.

And another break..Djoko is louzy too today, but the difference is: he'll lifts his game if he has to

gallery play wrote:I think you'all are still pretty mild. I'm annoyed to bits by the way Fed plays. Now and then a nice shot (peevishly executed though) and that's it.
It's all so forceless. He just broke but you can see from miles away he's never going to win this match.

I feel his game is so fragile and it's almost out of luck he is a break up.

Wow what a BH from Nole!!!

Tenez wrote:

gallery play wrote:I think you'all are still pretty mild. I'm annoyed to bits by the way Fed plays. Now and then a nice shot (peevishly executed though) and that's it.
It's all so forceless. He just broke but you can see from miles away he's never going to win this match.

I feel his game is so fragile and it's almost out of luck he is a break up.

And a very sloppy Djoko..But Djoko knows he can't lose to Fed, so he can afford this dip, easy

gallery play wrote:To be fair, nitb, i thought in Bercy it was shifty at best. Like entire 2013 to be precise.

And another break..Djoko is louzy too today, but the difference is: he'll lifts his game if he has to

Actually Djoko look pretty solid to me on this slow surface .

Fed to serve for the set....let me guess, 2 Df's?

Now we will see Djoko puttting the pressure on Fed;s serve. Fed has not had many 1st serves in that match. He needs them now.

I think the main problem for Fed today is his footwork is not great today and the court is medium the bounce not high, he is just not that interested in this match, Nole looks a lot keener, dedpite the dip and Fed's occasional moments of inspiration.

What a pass!!!!!

no no no, that bloody FH!!!
It's driving me mad. 3 FH ue's already this game

make that 4

BREAKS BACK

And another UE..
We knew he wouldn't serve this out, didn't we?

But the retrieving from Djoko is simply absurd...that's the real pro blem. On those slow court he is simply everywhere. There is not a spot in the court where he is not there.

Federer cannot win with that racquet anymore. He doesnt have the power and consistency required nowadays to play those superathletes.

gallery play wrote:And another UE..
We knew he wouldn't serve this out, didn't we?

Yep....like last year's final!

Tenez wrote: But the retrieving from Djoko is simply absurd...that's the real pro blem. On those slow court he is simply everywhere. There is not a spot in the court where he is not there.

But he was even more "everywhere" in 2011, yet Fed completely outclassed him in O2 that year.
T, Fed's game is fallen apart, there's not much left of it. I'm 95% sure this is his last wtf appearance.

he didnt play him at the 02 in 11.