A week is a long time in tennis – much could change in this sport over course of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Five months, then, is an age. The New No. 1 will today do something for the first time since early June, when he will play an opponent in the Top 5 of the Emirates ATP Rankings – this hasn’t happened since he was the runner-up to Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros. 

For Murray, the white heat of competition at The O2 could be about to become a little toastier. While Murray lost to Nishikori in the quarter-finals of this year’s US Open – in what was the last meeting between the pair – that was when the Japanese star was ranked outside the Top 5. That match in New York could hardly have been any closer, with Nishikori prevailing 7-5 in the fifth set. They also played a humdinger of a match in Birmingham at the Davis Cup tie between Great Britain and Japan, which Murray won in five sets and almost five hours. More often that not, Murray has beaten Nishikori over the years, with the Brit leading 7-2 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head.

Victory today would take Murray’s winning streak – which has already brought him titles in Beijing, Shanghai, Vienna and Paris – to 21 matches. It would be just one short of the career-best streak he put together over the summer. One of these two could today guarantee his progression into the knock-out stages. Murray’s last appearance in the semi-finals was four years ago, while Nishikori last featured in the last four in 2014. 

Aside from a bold taste in shorts, what unites Wawrinka and Cilic? Wawrinka’s run to the 2015 Roland Garros title will long be remembered for the pink tartan shorts he wore all fortnight, which he draped over the desk at his post-final media conference. And Cilic generated much comment for the colourful pair he had on for his opening appearance at this week’s Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, which brought a defeat against Andy Murray. But, to silence your internal fashion critic for a moment, consider how these two have interrupted the Big Four’s domination of men’s tennis in recent years.

For all the Grand Slams that Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Murray have gathered over the years, this duo has also made their presence felt. Cilic took the 2014 US Open title while Wawrinka was victorious at the 2014 Australian Open, the ‘lucky’ shorts helped him to that 2015 triumph at Roland Garros, and he won this year’s US Open. 

Bold is a word that would also describe how these two go about their tennis – they are not afraid to go for their shots (as well as to go for their shorts). They aren’t going to melt under the arc-lights. That’s been clear from the way Cilic has been playing of late on the ATP World Tour, with a title in Basel and registering a first victory over Djokovic in Paris. After losing his three round-robin matches in 2014, and then that defeat against Murray on his return to this competition, the Croatian will want to register a first victory at The O2.  

DAY 4 PREVIEW: Andy Murray attempts to begin the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals with a 2-0 record for the first time since his season finale debut in Shanghai in 2008. The World No. 1 opened with an impressive 63 62 win over Marin Cilic on Monday. Murray plays his second Group John McEnroe round robin match on Wednesday against No. 5 Kei Nishikori, who won the last meeting in five sets in the QF at the US Open on Sept. 7. Murray owns a 7-2 overall FedEx ATP Head 2 Head advantage, winning the other two meetings this season in a 1R Davis Cup match in five sets in Birmingham on Mar. 6 and 61 64 in the semi-finals of the Rio Olympics on Aug. 13. Nishikori’s other win (64 64) came here at The O2 two years ago in an opening round robin match.

Murray enters on a 20-match winning streak and he is trying to hold off Djokovic to finish No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time in his career. Djokovic improved to 2-0 and won Group Ivan Lendl on Tuesday with a 76 76 win over Milos Raonic and he has earned 400 Emirates ATP Ranking points so far. That gives Djokovic 11,180 points on the season, and with Murray losing 275 points on November 28 from the 2015 Davis Cup final, the Serbian is actually ahead in the race for year-end No. 1. Murray will have 11,310 points if he beats Nishikori and will move past Djokovic. Murray’s best result in the season finale is the semi-finals three times, in 2008 Shanghai and here at The O2 in 2010 and 2012. Nishikori is 2-13 lifetime against World No. 1 opponents with both of his wins coming over Djokovic in 2011 Basel (SF) and 2014 US Open (SF). Nishikori, who opened with a 62 63 win over Stan Wawrinka on Monday, is in the running to finish No. 3 for the first time in his career along with current No. 3 Wawrinka and Raonic.

In the evening session, No. 3 Stan Wawrinka and No. 7 Marin Cilic battle it out for the 13th time. Wawrinka holds a 10-2 FedEx ATP Head 2 Head record against the Croat, winning the past six meetings. Cilic’s only wins came in 2010. In their last meeting in the final of Geneva on May 21, Wawrinka won 64 76 to capture his first career ATP World Tour title on Swiss soil. In their previous meeting here two years ago, Wawrinka won the final round robin match 63 46 63.

Group John McEnroe Semi-finals Qualification Scenarios (Wednesday)

• Murray qualifies if he defeats Nishikori and Cilic defeats Wawrinka
• Murray also qualifies if he defeats Nishikori in 2 sets and Wawrinka defeats Cilic in 3 sets
• Nishikori qualifies if he defeats Murray and Wawrinka defeats Cilic
• Nishikori also qualifies if he defeats Murray in 2 sets and Cilic defeats Wawrinka in 3 sets

In the opening Group Fleming/McEnroe doubles match, No. 5 Henri Kontinen and John Peers take a 2-0 head-to-head record against No. 7 Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram. Both teams opened with straight-set wins on Monday. Kontinen and Peers enter on a six-match winning streak after winning their biggest career title at ATP Masters 1000 Paris. They have beaten all 7 other Barclays ATP World Tour Finals teams in 2016 (6 since Oct. 14). In the other match, No. 1 Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut meet No. 4 Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez for the third time (tied 1-1). The Spaniards won the first meeting at Roland Garros in June en route to the title before the Frenchmen won a QF match at ATP Masters 1000 Paris. With one win this week or one loss by Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares, Mahut will clinch year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings. He and Herbert are also competing with Murray and Soares to finish 2016 as the No. 1 doubles team. The Frenchmen lead the race by 175 points.

Group Fleming/McEnroe Semi-finals Qualification Scenarios (Wednesday)

• Kontinen/Peers qualify if they defeat Klaasen/Ram and Lopez/Lopez defeat Herbert/Mahut
• Kontinen/Peers also qualify if they defeat Klaasen/Ram in 2 sets and Herbert/Mahut defeat Lopez/Lopez in 3 sets
• Klaasen/Ram qualify if they defeat Kontinen/Peers and Herbert/Mahut defeat Lopez/Lopez
• Klaasen/Ram also qualify if they defeat Kontinen/Peers in 2 sets and Lopez/Lopez defeat Herbert/Mahut in 3 sets

Gardnar Mulloy, who passed away on 14 November aged 102, was the last link to pre-Second World War tennis circuit. The American rubbed shoulders with royalty – including Queen Elizabeth II, President Bill Clinton and movie stars, but lived his entire life in a modest three-bedroom Miami home. The remains of the original family court can still be seen in the backyard.

ATPWorldTour.com paid tribute on the occasion of his 100th birthday in November 2013, and reproduces the pieces below.

Gardnar Mulloy is celebrating his 100th birthday today.

He’s the first International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee to reach the age milestone and shuffles around now using a walking frame, much to his frustration. But his mind remains just as sharp as the decisive volleys, dipping service returns and well-placed smashes he started striking as an amateur on the international tennis circuit of the 1930s.

Mulloy was 11 when his father, Robin, built a tennis court in the backyard of the family home in Spring Garden, Miami. “I played [American] football and baseball in the city, before my father got me into tennis,” Mulloy told ATPWorldTour.com. “Eventually, we won the U.S. National Father & Sons’ title three times. I enjoyed competing, but when I grew up it was considered a ‘sissy’ sport in the United States.”

Mulloy was not disheartened. He didn’t stop playing tennis for the next 84 years. “Tennis is the only sport where you are constantly involved – running, hitting the ball and receiving it. That is why I competed at the highest level for so long and continued as a senior. It’s a wonderful sport.”

Tony Trabert, the President of the International Tennis Hall of Fame who has known Mulloy since 1948, told ATPWorldTour.com, “He was very fit and the strongest thing he ever drank was milk. He always marched to his own drum. We first played one another at the US Nationals in 1949, when I was 19 and he beat me in four sets. In 1954, we met again on a Denver clay court when he was 41, and I beat him in five sets! We still speak once a month. His passion for tennis remains undimmed.”

Looking back on a lifetime of memories, Mulloy believes that “Tennis was just as popular in the past, but the sport has completely changed. Prize money has sky rocketed and there are plenty of multi-millionaires. We played for peanuts. Everybody says that the players of today are better than years gone by, but that’s nonsense.

“Racquets, tennis balls and equipment development has changed the sport. But tennis ball covering is very thin now. Prior to World War II, the inner core was made of pure grey rubber, but due to the wartime demand for rubber, manufacturers substituted a black synthetic rubber substance and made the core thinner. It made the tennis ball faster in play, and, as we have seen over the past two decades, the number of players going to the net has decreased.

“If former generations – players such as Bill Tilden, Bobby Riggs, Jack Kramer and Rod Laver – competed with the same equipment against the likes of [Rafael] Nadal, [Novak] Djokovic, [Andy] Murray and [Roger] Federer, they would still dominate at every tournament.”

So would he enjoy competing on the ATP World Tour in 2014?

“I prefer the older days,” admitted Mulloy, who admires Federer’s all-court game. “But you cannot overlook the money today.”

During his top-flight tennis career, the lithe and athletic Mulloy maintained an interested following at every appearance. His nonchalant attitude and biting humour always caused great interest among the galleries. But his career could well have ended with the outbreak of war in Europe, which closed down world tennis. In 1939, he was 26 years old and a graduate manager at the University of Miami.

“When I hit the big time, World War II began, right at the peak of my age and ability,” said Mulloy, who, at the time, had recently completed a law degree to appease his father. “People often forget my war service. I wanted to get into the Air Force, but they weren’t taking anyone over the age of 25. I got a break on a U.S. Naval course as a ’90-day wonder’, meaning a four-year programme was crammed into three months of training. I ended up becoming a tennis instructor, but I wanted to go to sea.”

Through sheer persistence and hard work, Mulloy ended up as a Lieutenant and a Commanding Office of a Landing Ship Tank: the U.S.S. LST 32, leading a crew of 13 officers and 154 men. “It took three or four years away from me, but I was proud to serve my country at four different battles – landing in harm’s way,” said Mulloy. Launched on 12 July 1943, Mulloy led the California-built ship into action at beachheads in Anzio, Salerno, southern France and northern Africa. For one particular act of heroism he earned the U.S. Navy Medal of Commendation.

By the start of 1945, Mulloy’s taste for tennis had returned, when the U.S. Navy Department posted him on a tour of Eastern seaboard hospitals with 52-year-old Tilden. He started to organise his own exhibitions with Alice Marble, Vincent Richards, Tilden and others. Only then did he consider staging a comeback on the international amateur circuit. “I recall people thought I was mad, but I wanted to play Davis Cup,” said Mulloy. “I dedicated myself to getting back on the circus.” He was 32 and married to his high school sweetheart, Madeleine – “the kindest most beautiful girl in the world” – with whom he raised two daughters, Diane and Janice. Sadly, Madeleine passed away in 1993, after 55 years of marriage.

Mulloy was one of the world’s best doubles players of the 1940s and 1950s, compiling a 5-9 record in Grand Slam championships finals that included four titles at the US Nationals with Bill Talbert. As a 43 year old, nicknamed ‘The Grand Old Man Of Tennis’, he picked up the 1957 Wimbledon title with Budge Patty. To put that feat in perspective, Leander Paes won his third US Open title at the age of 40 this year, in tandem with Radek Stepanek. Mulloy was also a singles runner-up to Frank Sedgman at the US Nationals in 1952, the year he was judged to be ranked World No. 7. He also lifted the Davis Cup trophy on three occasions.

He continued to play at Grand Slam championships until 1971, when he was 57, before devoting himself to senior competition. ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said, “Gardnar Mulloy is one of the iconic figures of ITF Seniors tennis. A three-time Davis Cup champion, he played an important role in the early development of veterans tennis, and has been a loyal and enthusiastic supporter ever since. In 1996, we were pleased to name our new men’s 80-and-over team competition after him, and it is fitting that he celebrates his 100th birthday in the ITF’s own centenary year.”

This weekend, Mulloy will celebrate with his second wife, Jacqueline, who he married in 2008, and friends at their house, where he has lived for more than 60 years.

“I don’t smoke or drink and I watch my diet very carefully,” admitted Mulloy, a vegetarian. “But if I played today, I would need to cheat as I can’t maintain my balance. So I use a walker.

“However, if Wimbledon – still the world’s premier event – invited me to compete once again, I would be there in a flash!”

Happy Birthday, Gar. Enjoy the party.