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Djokovic Completes Finale Four-Peat

  • Posted: Nov 22, 2015

Djokovic Completes Finale Four-Peat

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer cap the 2015 ATP World Tour season with their 44th encounter

Novak Djokovic completed his argument for one of the greatest seasons of all time on the ATP World Tour, capping a historic campaign with a record fourth consecutive Barclays ATP World Tour Finals crown. The Serb downed six-time titlist Roger Federer 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday.

It was déjà vu with their second meeting this week at The O2 in London – and 44th overall – coming on the heels of Federer’s 7-5, 6-2 triumph in Group Stan Smith play on Tuesday. The FedEx ATP Head2Head is now level at 22-22, with the top-ranked Serb owning a 5-3 edge in their 2015 encounters.

“I’m obviously very proud to have these achievements with my team,” said Djokovic during the trophy ceremony. “It’s been a long season, but the best of my life. Without their support and my family, I wouldn’t be where I am. I’m just trying to cherish every moment at this level. As a kid growing up, you dream to be at tournaments like this and fighting for the biggest trophies in sport.” 

Djokovic, who improved to 18-1 at the Final Showdown over the course of his four straight title runs, won his 11th title of 2015 and 59th overall at the tour-level. He brings home $2,061,000 in prize money and 1,300 Emirates ATP Rankings points. The World No. 1, who also won the title in 2008 when the event was held in Shanghai, draws level with Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras as the second-most successful players in tournament history, behind only Federer’s six crowns. He concludes the season with an 82-6 win-loss record and is now just 14 match victories from reaching 700 in his career.

“Against Roger it’s very specific,” Djokovic said in press. “You need to adjust to the tactics because of his game. He plays very quickly. He likes things to happen fast. He takes away the time from his opponent. He has so much variety in his game with slice, comes to the net, great serve, forehand, one of the best ever. He’s very complete player. I know that he’s always going to push you hard and try to protect the baseline, take away the time from you, which he was doing also today.

“I think what I managed to do better than what I’ve done in the last match we played in the group stage here was the fact that I was more solid from back of the court. I served well when I needed to. I got myself out of trouble. I returned more balls back than I did five days ago. I think that helped me to get into the rally. I always try to make him play one extra shot.” 

BEST MATCH RECORDS AT NO. 1

Djokovic has compiled one of the best seasons in the history of the Emirates ATP Rankings (since 1973). Here is a look at the No. 1 players with the best match winning percentages since 1973:

Player

 Year

W-L

Pct.

Titles

John McEnroe

 1984

82-3

.965

13

Jimmy Connors

 1974 93-4 .959 15

Roger Federer

 2005 81-4 .953 11

Roger Federer

 2006 92-5 .948 12
Bjorn Borg  1979 84-6 .933 13

Novak Djokovic

 2015 82-6 .932 11

Roger Federer

 2004 74-6 .925 11

Ivan Lendl

 1986 74-6 .925  9
Ivan Lendl  1985 84-7 .923 11
Novak Djokovic  2011 70-6 .921 10

Federer, meanwhile, was bidding for a historic seventh title at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals and 89th overall. His season ends with the World No. 3 spot in the Emirates ATP Rankings, claiming 63 match wins and six titles from 11 finals – in Brisbane, Dubai, Istanbul, Halle, Basel and the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati. In 2016, he will continue his quest to pass Ivan Lendl (1071) for second place on the all-time match wins list, pulling to within 12 victories.

“It would have been nice to serve a little bit better early on in the match, play better overall on his second serve, because he does allow you to play on his second serve,” said Federer. “Maybe at times I went for too much. The moments where I should have gone safe, I didn’t, and vice versa. Those are the two regrets I have.

“If I played the match again, that is what I would try to do different. Other than that, I thought it was a good match. It was close. First six games were tough, to be down 4-2. I had my chances to at least be even. But I thought he played well. Still high-quality match, I thought.”

Here is how the final was won…

FIRST SET – Djokovic 6-3
The key to Federer’s success in their clash on Tuesday was his efficiency in neutralising Djokovic’s first serve and peppering the World No. 1’s forehand during baseline exchanges. Federer put the screws on Djokovic in goading 22 unforced errors to just 12 winners off the top seed’s racquet, claiming 49 per cent of his rival’s first serve points.

The Swiss was in prime position to continue the same trend on Sunday, but, after saving a break point in his first service game, Djokovic pounced on one of his own at 1-1. A Federer mid-rally forehand clipped the tape at 30/40 and he could not recover as Djokovic secured the opening break.

It did not take long for Federer to have another look at a break point. With Djokovic serving up 3-2, the Basel native launched a sublime backhand down the line winner to bring proceedings to deuce and earned his second break opportunity when the defending champion misfired wide on a forehand. But Djokovic clamped down as Federer’s patience slipped, striking his seventh backhand unforced error to give his rival the hold for 4-2.

With Federer once again applying pressure on Djokovic’s serve at 4-3 40/30, the Serb fired a leaping kick serve that pulled the Swiss off the court and followed it up with a rifled backhand winner down the line – a combination that has worked quite effectively for him over the years. Djokovic would secure the opening set a game later after 39 minutes, converting on his second set point.

SECOND SET – Djokovic 6-4
With football stars Thierry Henry and Olivier Giroud in attendance, Federer looked to draw level behind a quick break in the second set. A win would bring the Swiss back to World No. 2 in the Emirates ATP Rankings and he was eager to take the early initiative. Two brilliant baseline winners – one backhand flick down-the-line and one off his forehand side -brought the score to 40/30 with Djokovic serving at 1-1, but once again Federer was unable to close the door. Contesting a single-season record 15th consecutive final, the World No. 1 remained steady.

A scintillating, angle-assaulting rally in the second point of the seventh game brought the fans out of their seats as Federer closed it out with beautiful touch at the net. Djokovic would once again hold three points later, with Federer hesitant to come forward and attack the net.

Djokovic’s depth and weight of shot drove Federer off the baseline with the Swiss serving at 3-4. A 0/40 lead put him in significant danger, but Federer would reel off five straight points to hold behind a clutch serving display.

Djokovic had won 84 per cent of second serve points to Federer’s 44 per cent through eight games in the second set, and he would not suffer a hangover from the slew of missed opportunities, holding to love for 5-4.

Djokovic again applied pressure on the Federer serve in the next game. A 34-shot rally won by the Serb resulted in a 0/30 lead. The Swiss had saved five of seven break points as they arrived at two match points at 15/40, but a double fault sealed Djokovic’s place in season finale lore. He became the first player to win four consecutive championships at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals after 81 minutes. 

Infosys ATP Insights
In the eighth game of the second set, Federer fell behind 0/40, a point from which he has rallied to hold serve 37 percent of the time in 2015, according to Infosys ATP Insights. The six-time Finale champion dug deep and reeled off five straight points to level at 4-all. However, Federer came under pressure again in his next service game, falling behind 15/40. He saved the first championship point but then at 30/40 threw in a double fault. Infosys ATP Insights also show that Federer double faults on break point on average only once in 24 matches. More Infosys ATP Insights here.

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Vote Now: Doubles Team Of The Year

Vote Now: Doubles Team Of The Year

  • Posted: Nov 22, 2015

The finalists for the 2015 WTA Comeback Player Of The Year have been released, and we want to hear from you, the fans. The fan vote will count as one of the coveted media votes.

Have a look at the finalists and cast your vote before Sunday, December 6 at 11:59pm ET! The winner will be announced Tuesday, December 8.

2015 WTA Doubles Team of the Year Finalists


Martina Hingis & Sania Mirza: For Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza, 2015 could hardly have gone any better. After a flawless start to life as a team, in which they won their first three tournaments, Hingis and Mirza hit their first bump in the road during the clay court season, falling early in both Stuttgart and Madrid before being upset by Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova in the French Open quarterfinals. From then on, though, they were virtually untouchable, winning 34 of their next 37 matches to take home titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Beijing and the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands &Lucie Safarova: It has been quite the year for Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova on the doubles court. In January, their hastily arranged partnership resulted in a maiden Grand Slam title, at the Australian Open. The two continued this success on the clay, triumphing in Stuttgart and then Roland Garros, too, where they knocked out top seeds Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza en route to the title. While they struggled to scale these heights in the second half of the season, there was more silverware at one of the game’s showpiece events, this time in Toronto.

Casey Dellacqua & Yaroslava Shvedova: Casey Dellacqua and Yaroslava Shvedova may have been together for less than half of 2015, but they certainly made the most of this time together. On their first outing in unison, the Mutua Madrid Open, Dellacqua and Shvedova walked away with the title. One month later, they almost walked away with an even bigger prize at Roland Garros, only to come up just short in the final against Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova. The summer hardcourt stretch brought a few more near misses, with finals at Cincinnati and the US Open before a freak injury to Dellcqua in Beijing brought their campaign to a premature end.

Ekaterina Makarova & Elena Vesnina: While Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina did not quite scale the heights of recent years, they remained regulars at the business end of showpiece events. The Russian duo began the campaign by reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, before really hitting their stride when the tour headed stateside, finishing runners-up at both Indian Wells and Miami. Their conquerors on both occasions were Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza, who also produced a stunning comeback to deny them in the Wimbledon final. Injuries wreaked havoc with the half of the campaign, forcing Makrova and Vesnina to miss much of the summer hardcourt season as well as the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

Doubles Team Finalists

WTA Doubles Team of the Year Winners

2014: Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci
2013: Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci
2012: Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci
2011: Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik
2010: Gisela Dulko/Flavia Pennetta 
2009: Serena Williams/Venus Williams 
2008: Cara Black/Liezel Huber 
2007: Cara Black/Liezel Huber 
2006: Lisa Raymond/Sam Stosur 
2005: Lisa Raymond/Sam Stosur 

Click here to see all the WTA Doubles Team of the Year Winners


How it works:

Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a media vote with a fan vote counting as one media vote

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Pella Wins 2015 Montevideo Challenger Title

  • Posted: Nov 22, 2015

Watch highlights of the Uruguay Open, where Guido Pella won his fourth ATP Challenger Tour title of 2015. Video courtesy of Uruguay Open.

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Coric Returns To The O2 One Year On

  • Posted: Nov 22, 2015

One year on from being named the Emirates ATP Star of Tomorrow, Borna Coric returns to The O2 and chats about the progress he’s made to reach the Top 40.

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Djokovic Wins Federer Showdown 2015 London Highlights

  • Posted: Nov 22, 2015

Watch highlights as Novak Djokovic caps off a historic season at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com.

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Zheng Headlines USANA China Convention

Zheng Headlines USANA China Convention

  • Posted: Nov 22, 2015

QINGDAO, China – Fresh off of her debut appearance at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai, WTA Rising Star Zheng Saisai made a special appearance at a USANA China convention.

A brand ambassador for the health and nutrition company, Zheng headlined a sold out stadium in Qingdao; a lucky 8,500 USANA Associates got to listen to Zheng speak about her how she prepares for each match with the help of her favorite USANA products – including a supplement called Booster C.

USANA China further engaged associates in attendence with a tennis-themed dance; the dancers joined Zheng on stage to help launch autographed tennis balls into the crowd. After the presentation, she took multiple photos with associates and signed another 140 autographs for delighted fans.

USANA is the Official Health Supplement Supplier of the WTA. Since 2006, USANA has provided high quality vitamins and supplements to WTA players. Over 160 athletes use USANA products including eight out of the Top 10 and 15 out of the Top 20.

Check out more photos and videos from the event here, courtesy of USANA:

USANA

Zheng Saisai

Zheng Saisai

Zheng Saisai

Zheng Saisai

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Brain Game: Federer's Tactical Change

  • Posted: Nov 22, 2015

Roger Federer is our sport’s most colourful chameleon. His adaptive skills were on full display Saturday night in his 7-5, 6-3 victory over Stan Wawrinka, to move through to the final of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Federer is a master of every tactical maneuver, equally adept at staying back, coming forward, altering spin and power, managing time, and possessing the uncanny ability to “feel” what the court, the ball, the conditions and the opponent provide him.

Federer only came to the net nine times (winning six) against World No. 1, Novak Djokovic, earlier in the week, simply because he calculated that heavy groundstrokes were the best pathway to secure victory in that moment, on that night.

Last night against Wawrinka, he strategically changed his colours, swarming the net in an effort to blunt his opponent’s thumping groundstroke speed.

Federer came forward to the net 32 times against Wawrinka, playing only one extra game against his Swiss opponent than Djokovic.

Federer won an extremely high 75 per cent (24/32) at the net, pressuring Wawrinka with his court position, and rushing Wawrinka’s groundstroke preparation. Wawrinka only managed to get to the net three times for the whole match, highlighting just how dominant Federer was at owning the front of the court.

Infosys Match Insights uncovered a hidden strength of Federer’s forward movement – getting closer to the net to create more angle for the volley, and visually shrinking the court for the opponent’s passing shot.

Federer hit 27 volleys for match, mixing in serve and volley and approach plays, and amazingly only hit two volleys standing behind the service line. That’s a remarkable discovery, and you can only imagine how difficult he is to pass from such perfect court position.

Federer’s serve is a great enabler of his forward movement, as it continually elicits short balls for him to devour.

Federer hit 100 shots as the first shot after his serve, with 66 of them being struck inside the baseline, 33 within two metres behind the baseline, and just a lonely one further back than two metres behind the baseline.

When returning, it was a tougher ask to immediately move forward, as he had to initially negate the strength of Wawrinka’s powerful serve, and thumping first groundstroke. Federer made contact with the ball 22 times inside the baseline with his first shot after the return, 51 times within two metres of the baseline, and 27 times more than two metres back.

Once a rally was established, Federer hit 53 per cent forehands for the match and 47 per cent backhands, better than Wawrinka’s even 50/50 ratio.

But a deeper look at Wawrinka’s forehand performance uncovered that he only hit 11 run-around forehands standing in the Ad court for the match, which is normally a primary baseline strategy.

Wawrinka Return Location

The pressure of Federer’s constant forays forward forced Wawrinka to drastically alter his return location, but all it did was simply take him out of his comfort zone.

Federer won 76 per cent (31/41) of his first serve points, and an extremely high 65 per cent (15/23) of second serve points.

Against Rafael Nadal in the round robin draw, Wawrinka averaged standing 2.95 metres (9.7 feet) behind the baseline to return second serves, but he was only 27 centimetres (0.9 feet) behind the baseline against Federer.

Wawrinka was forced to move forward and take the second serve return earlier to try and immediately get the ball down to Federer’s feet, or rebound it deep near the baseline with the threat of an imminent net attack.

Federer averaged standing 1.4 metres (4.6 feet) inside the baseline returning Wawrinka’s serve, successfully pressuring Wawrinka into only winning a lowly 42 per cent (10/24) in this key tactical arm wrestle.

Federer will now play Djokovic in this afternoon’s final, and the tactics that worked earlier in the week may have to be drastically altered to defeat the World No. 1 on Sunday. Fortunately, Federer is ready to change colours in the blink of an eye.

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