Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares worked hard to win their opening Group Llodra/Santoro match on Sunday at the Nitto ATP Finals with a 7-6(5), 4-6, 10-5 victory over Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus in one hour and 49 minutes.

Fourth seeds Murray and Soares saved three set points and recovered from 3-5 down in the first set for their 38th match win of the season (38-18 overall). The British/Brazilian team are making their third straight appearance at the season finale, which is held at The O2 in London, and have reached the semi-finals for the past two years.

“I think we did really well to win,” said Murray. “It was a battle from the first game. Obviously, I lost my serve so immediately we were kind of under the pump a bit. We had a few chances at the start of the match, as well, to break back. Then we hung in there and we got, what, I guess a bit lucky because it’s 5-4, 30-Love. The guy was serving great. All of a sudden a couple of double-faults creep in, Bruno hits a good return, all of a sudden it’s 5-All.

“I thought we competed really well, especially in both the tie-breaks, played a lot of good tennis when we really needed it. Yeah, [we’re] really happy to win the first match.”

Soares said, “It was a battle from the beginning. I think best thing what we did was competing well the whole match. It’s not easy to play. I was a bit on and off with my returns. Some games, I was feeling good, all of a sudden missing a lot. [In the] second set, same thing, started down a break, broke back. But I think the most important thing for us was finishing strong the match. I think we played a really good tie-break. I think we come out of the match with a very good feel after that.”

Klaasen and Venus, appearing at the season finale as a team for the first time, broke Murray on a deciding deuce point in the first game, and Venus later saved two break points for a 2-0 lead. At 3-5, Klaasen mis-timed a forehand return off Murray’s serve on a set point and, in the next game, Venus could not convert two set point chances on serve. Soares soon pounced at the net for 5-5 on a deciding point. In a tense tie-break, Murray and Soares were proactive at the net and took their lone chance to wrap up the 54-minute opener.

Klaasen and Venus took a 2-0 lead in the second set, but Klaasen lost his serve in the third game. Yet the pair regrouped with Soares saving a deciding deuce point at 3-4. While Soares grew in confidence with his returning, it was Klaasen’s power that forced a volley error from Murray in the 10th game.

Murray and Soares, the 2016 year-end No. 1s in the ATP Doubles Team Rankings, seized early control of the Match Tie-break, winning the first three points, as they moved closer to their third win in four meetings over Klaasen and Venus in 2018 (also Rome, Wimbledon and Washington, D.C.).

Murray, 32, and 36-year-old Soares are now 6-3 at the Nitto ATP Finals. This year they lifted three titles – at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC (d. Bryans), the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. (d. M. Bryan/Roger-Vasselin) and the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati (d. Cabal/Farah) – from six ATP World Tour finals.

Klaasen and Venus, winners of the Open 13 Provence (d. Daniell/Inglot) in February and runners up at four other events this year, dropped to a 38-24 record on the season. Two years ago, Klaasen partnered Rajeev Ram to the final (l. to Kontinen/Peers) and Venus partnered Ryan Harrison at the 2017 event.

For the first time in its history, the Nitto ATP Finals will introduce a new fan engagement feature that will measure crowd noise within the O2 arena during matches, the ATP announced on Sunday prior to this year’s prestigious season-ending tournament getting underway.

Since 2009, the season-ending event at The O2 has generated an array of thrilling matches and raucous atmospheres inside the 17,800 capacity stadium. The Infosys ATP Fan Meter will be used for the first time and will measure fan noise which will be displayed on the giant screens as well as on the arenamation around the arena.

The Infosys ATP Fan Meter will allow fans, media and broadcasters to track the loudest moments throughout the tournament across singles and doubles, from player walk-ons, match points, hot shots and more. Loud moments will be displayed at least once per set in all matches. The new noise measurement feature represents the latest initiative in an ATP and Infosys partnership that continues to showcase the integration of technology and data in sport as a means of enhancing fan engagement.

Adam Hogg, Event Director of the Nitto ATP Finals, said: “The Nitto ATP Finals has become renowned for its capacity crowds and exhilarating atmospheres since 2009. We’ve welcomed more than 2.3 million fans into the arena during that time and the introduction of the Infosys ATP Fan Meter is an exciting way to engage further with our enthusiastic fans and directly measure the level of fan involvement in the spectacular production of our season-ending event.”

The graphics generated during the matches will be promoted on line through Social Media and through ATPWorldTour.com online.

Ravi Kumar S, President, Infosys said: “The Infosys and ATP partnership has always been about reimagining the game of tennis for players, coaches, media and fans. After many breakthrough experiences like virtual reality tennis, the Stats Leaderboards and the Second Screen, we have another first with the ‘Infosys ATP Fan Meter’. This is another important step to place fans at the heart of the ATP experience. Till now, we had limited means to quantify audience engagement and excitement levels. The Fan Meter leverages the Internet of Things to create a connected stadium experience and gives us a new way of understanding the pulse of a live audience by combining the sensory element of sound with powerful data analytics.”

In addition to the Infosys ATP Fan Meter, Infosys and the ATP have upgraded the second screen available on NittoATPFinals.com to make it more mobile-friendly, with a focus on an updated design, demonstrating Infosys’s digital expertise in mobility and design. A new series of features have also been added on the tournament website including an all-new live score analytics offering, serve and return ratings as well as social sentiment analysis bringing in the conversation fans are having, all within the same platform.

Since the Nitto ATP Finals moved to London in 2009, only three Americans have qualified for the season finale. Andy Roddick punched his ticket in 2010 and Mardy Fish booked his spot a year later. This time, it’s John Isner’s turn.

The big-hitting North Carolina native is playing the best tennis of his career, and at the age of 33 he is the oldest first-time qualifier since 1972. Isner, who appeared at The O2 as an alternate in 2015, is relishing the opportunity to finally compete in the big show.

“It means a lot to be here,” Isner told the assembled media at The O2. “I’ve been very close throughout my career. It just hasn’t quite happened. I also realize that I’m pretty fortunate to be here as well this year. That said, I’ve had a very good year and I put myself in position to make this event. And at 33, to be competing in my first Nitto ATP Finals is very satisfying. This is certainly a life-changer, all for the good. My wife and daughter are here as well, so it’s very special.

“I think over the last 9-10 years I’ve been very consistent. I’ve been between No. 10 and No. 19 that entire time. But this year, it wasn’t so much that I was super consistent with my results. It was that I had 3-4 big results. The way our ranking system works, that’s often what it takes to get to the Top 10 and stay there. For me, it all started in Miami. I was actually 0-6 prior to that and I turned it around with one tournament. It’s what great about tennis. It only takes one event to turn things around and get it to go your way.”

Isner joins a long list of Americans who have qualified for the crown jewel of the ATP calendar, including legends Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. It has been more than a decade since the nation had a player reach the final. In 2006, James Blake finished runner-up when the tournament was held in Shanghai. And it has been nearly two decades since an American lifted the trophy. Sampras last achieved the feat in 1999, when the event was staged in Hanover, Germany.

When asked if any of the more recent American competitors have offered advice, Isner acknowledged that Fish spoke to him after learning of his qualification.

“I did speak to Mardy at length about the experience,” Isner added. “Everything he said is true. He absolutely loved his time here and told me how cool an event it is. I got a little taste in the past when I was an alternate, but it’s a big difference to be a part of the real thing. 

“This is the pinnacle of the ATP calendar for sure. To have it at the end of the year with all these great players is amazing for me. I’ve seen it on TV and the atmosphere is incredible. London puts on such an amazing event and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Isner is undoubtedly enjoying a career-year in 2018. In April, the 33-year-old lifted his maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophy in Miami, earning a trio of Top 10 wins over Marin Cilic, Juan Martin del Potro and Alexander Zverev. And in July he registered his best result in a Grand Slam, when he battled to the semi-finals at Wimbledon. That was immediately followed by a fifth crown at the BB&T Atlanta Open.

But those standout results, also including a quarter-final finish at the US Open, was nearly not enough to qualify for the season finale. Sitting in 10th position in the ATP Race To London, Isner claimed his spot among the elite eight when both Del Potro and Rafael Nadal withdrew due to injury. The American was sitting at home in North Carolina when he got the call. 

“I knew there was a good shot I’d be here, but I went back home from Paris for four or five nights. I went back home on Saturday and I found out on Monday that I was in. I flew here on Wednesday night. It’s maybe a little bit unorthodox. Most players stay in Europe after Paris, but I felt it was a pretty nice break for me. Even if it was for just a few days, to be back home with the family and sit on the couch and watch football, there’s a lot to be said for that. It relaxes you.

“Physically, I feel great. I’ve been very fortunate throughout my career to be injury-free. Of course there are a few things that pop up, but there’s nothing that has sidelined me for an extended period of time. I continue to work hard on my body, which is the most important thing I can do. As long as I can stay healthy, at 33, I do feel pretty good. For me personally, seeing a guy like Roger, even though he’s from another planet, he’s still doing incredible things at 37. It’s very encouraging for me to see that. It gives me a lot of incentive to keep working as hard as I can.”

Isner finds himself in the same group – Group Guga Kuerten – as World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, third seed Alexander Zverev and fifth seed Marin Cilic. He opens his campaign against five-time champion Djokovic on Monday night.

“I’m up against it for sure. Novak has won this event five times. He’s the player to beat this week for sure, and he’s back to No. 1 after an incredible second half of the year. It’s a good spot for me, because I don’t have much to lose. I’m definitely the underdog. 

“I’m going out there to play my best and be lose and free. I’ve played him eight or nine times and I’ve beaten him a couple, but he’s beaten me more times than I have. It’s going to be a very tough match, but I’m looking forward to it. The atmosphere is going to be great and it’s going to be a big challenge.”