Federer Set For Final Showdown
The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, set at the O2 Arena in London, will get underway on 15 November. ATPWorldTour.com takes a statistical look at the players who will be competing in the final showdown:
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
YEAR-END FINALE HISTORY
– The 28-year-old Belgrade native is making his 9th consecutive season finale appearance. Comes in as reigning 3-time champion and also won title in 2008 in Shanghai (d. Davydenko). Has won last 14 matches since falling to countryman Tipsarevic in final round robin match in 2011. Last player to win 3 straight year-end titles was Ivan Lendl from 1985-87 (no player has won 4 titles in a row).
– Overall has a 23-9 match record and 1 of 5 players to win 4-more titles in tournament history (only 4-time winner unbeaten in finals). There have been 3 players with 5-more titles (Federer-6, Lendl, Sampras-5 each).
– Has ranked in Top 3 each time coming into year-end finale, including No. 1 in 2011-12, ’14-15.
– In his last 3 title runs, defeated No. 2 Federer in ’12 final, No. 1 Nadal in ’13 and won by walkover last year vs No. 2 Federer, who withdrew due to a back injury.
– Has earned $8,058,000 in tournament, which is No. 3 behind Federer ($13,171,000) and Sampras ($8,290,000).
– Has a 10-2 career record in decisive-set matches (.833), which is 2nd-best in tournament history behind Ilie Nastase (12-1, .923).
ANDY MURRAY
YEAR-END FINALE HISTORY
– The 28-year-old Scot qualified for 8th straight year (10-9 record) and last year went 1-2 in round robin play (l. Nishikori 64 64, d. Raonic 63 75, l. Federer 60 61). It was his first appearance since ’12 (W/D in ’13 due to back surgery in September that year).
– In SF showing in 2012, defeated Berdych in opening RR match, lost to No.1 Djokovic and beat Tsonga before falling to Federer.
– Of 9 losses, 6 have come to Top 2 opponents – Federer (4 times), Nadal and Djokovic (once each).
– Also SF in 2008 (l. to Davydenko) and ’10 (l. to Nadal). In ’11, lost to Ferrer in opening match and then withdrew due to groin injury.
– In 6 previous appearances, went at least 2-1 in RR play 4 times. In ’09, went 2-1 in RR play but did not advance to SF, finishing 3rd in group.
– In ’08 debut in Shanghai, only time he won all 3 round robin matches (d. Roddick, Simon, Federer) before falling to Davydenko.
– Older brother, Jamie, has qualified in doubles event (w/Peers) and first brother duo to appear in year-end final since John and Patrick McEnroe in 1989 (John reached SF, Patrick won doubles title w/Grabb).
ROGER FEDERER
YEAR-END FINALE HISTORY
– The 34-year-old Swiss native is oldest player to qualify for year-end finale since Andre Agassi (35) in 2005 and comes in ranked in Top 3 for 11th time in 14 years. Last year was No. 2 and withdrew from final (vs. Djokovic) due to back injury. Went 4-0 coming into final.
– He is playing in a record 14th consecutive year-end championship and with Agassi has qualified most (14 times).
– Has captured most titles (6), won most matches (48-11) and prize money ($13,171,000). Also tournament leader in tie-breaks won (16).
– His 6 titles have come over 6 different opponents and his titles have come back-to-back years in 3 different cities: Houston in 2003 (d. Agassi) and ’04 (d. Hewitt), Shanghai (in 2006 (d. Blake) and ’07 (d. Ferrer) and London in 2010 (d. Nadal) and ’11 (d. Tsonga). Also runner-up in 2005 (l. to Nalbandian in 5 sets) and in ’12 (l. to Djokovic). Only time has won title after losing opening round robin match in ’07 (l. to Gonzalez).
– Only once in 13 years he did not advance out of round robin play (1-2), in 2008. Has reached SF or better 12 times, tied with Lendl.
STAN WAWRINKA
YEAR-END FINALE HISTORY
– The Swiss native is making his 3rd consecutive appearance at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals after reaching SF last 2 years (4-4 record).
– Last year, came in No. 4 and defeated Berdych 61 61, l. to Djokovic 63 60 and beat Cilic 63 46 63 before falling to Federer 64 57 76(6) in SF after holding 4 match pts.
– In 2013, ranked No. 8 and both of his round robin match wins went to a decisive set, opening with a 63 67 63 victory over Berdych and closing with a 67 64 61 triumph over Ferrer. In between lost to Nadal in 2 tie-breaks and fell to eventual champion Djokovic 63 63 in SF.
– He is 1 of 3 Swiss to qualify for season-ending championship along with Federer (13 times) and Jakob Hlasek, who reached SF in 1988 (d. Lendl, Agassi, Mayotte, l. to Becker).
RAFAEL NADAL
YEAR-END FINALE HISTORY
– The 29-year-old Spaniard qualified for the 11th straight year (13-11 record) and in his last appearance in 2013, reached final (l. Djokovic) after going 4-0 with wins over No. 3 Ferrer, No. 8 Wawrinka, No. 6 Berdych and No. 7 Federer. Ranked No. 1 at time (also in 2010).
– Withdrew last year due to appendicitis surgery he underwent on Nov. 3, 2014. Also withdrew in 2005, ’08 and ‘12.
– In 2010, advanced to final (l. Federer 63 36 61) after winning 4 straight matches. Also SF in 2006 debut and ’07 (l. Federer both times). Has 1-4 record vs. Federer and 2-2 vs. Djokovic in year-end championship.
TOMAS BERDYCH
YEAR-END FINALE HISTORY
– The 30-year-old Czech Republic native is making his 6th consecutive appearance in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals (6-10 record) and his best result is SF in 2011 (l. to Djokovic in opener, then beat Tipsarevic, Ferrer in RR play), losing to Tsonga.
– Ivan Lendl is only other Czech player to qualify at least 6 times. Lendl made 12 appearances.
– Last year went 1-2 in round robin play, losing to Wawrinka 61 61 and Djokovic 62 62 with a win in between over Cilic 63 61.
– In ’12, lost to Murray, beat Tsonga and fell to Djokovic in RR play.
– In ’10, lost to Djokovic, defeated Roddick and fell to Nadal in RR.
– Has an 0-5 record in opening round robin matches and 5-0 mark in his 2nd RR match.
DAVID FERRER
YEAR-END FINALE HISTORY
– The 33-year-old Spaniard, who is 2nd-oldest in singles field (behind Federer 34), has qualified for 6th time (7th overall appearance). Has an 8-11 career record and last year came in as an alternate for Raonic and played one match, losing to Nishikori 46 64 61.
– In 2013, lost all 3 round robin matches (Nadal, Berdych, Wawrinka).
– His best result was a runner-up in Shanghai in 2007 debut (l. to Federer) after RR wins over Djokovic, Nadal, Gasquet and Roddick in SF.
– In 2012, went 2-1 in RR play (d. del Potro, l. to Federer, d. Tipsarevic, his last win) but did not advance.
– In 2011, reached SF with wins over No. 3 Murray and No. 1 Djokovic, lost to Berdych in RR play before falling to Federer 75 63.
KEI NISHIKORI
YEAR-END FINALE HISTORY
– The Japanese native is youngest player (25) in this year’s field and making his 2nd straight appearance in Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.
– Last year in debut, came in ranked No. 5 and went 2-1 in round robin play, defeating Murray 64 64 and (alt.) Ferrer 46 64 61 with a loss in between to Federer 63 62. In SF, lost to eventual champion Djokovic 61 36 60.
– Coach Michael Chang qualified 7 times for year-end finale (7-16) and his best result was runner-up in 1995 (l. to Becker). It was only time he made it out of round robin play.
Movers Of The week (9 November)
Kei Nishikori 8 (-1 spot)
John Isner 11 (+2 spots)
Marin Cilic 13 (-2 spots)
Viktor Troicki 23 (+4 spots)
Ivo Karlovic 24 (-1 spot)
Jack Sock 26 (-2 spots)
Grigor Dimitrov 28 (+1 spot)
Potential Milestones
Marcin Matkowski – 398 wins (doubles)
In Case You Missed It
Djokovic captured a record sixth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in the same season by beating Murray in Paris. Read
Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo downed Vasek Pospisil and Jack Sock in the Paris doubles final, preventing the latter from earning a berth in the ATP World Tour Finals for the first time. Read
Birthdays
13 November – Jerzy Janowicz (25)
14 November – Alejandro Falla (32), Borna Coric (19)
15 November – Fernando Verdasco (32)