ATP World Tour Finals Review

Photo thanks to Paula Funnell

When we look back on the great years of men’s tennis, 2012 will surely be up there amongst the best. With four different Grand Slam winners this year, the Tour Finals served as a sort of tiebreaker – which player would rise above his exceptional rivals to be crowned the best player of 2012?

It was  a great shame to see Rafael Nadal unable to compete through injury, and his fans wait with baited breath to see if he can impose himself on the top three next year. He will know that he faces a great challenge against a much improved Andy Murray, as well as Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer playing at the peak of their powers.

The tournament did not suffer for the absence of Nadal however, with scintillating tennis provided from the outset in London’s O2 Arena. This was the fourth time the indoor arena had staged the culmination of the tennis calendar, and with the event’s popularity still growing the decision to renew the contract until 2015 was greeted with universal approval.

Certainly the world’s top two players will be pleased they will have more chances to play their best game on what is becoming an iconic court to match the grandeur and tradition of Wimbledon. Djokovic retains an uncanny ability to slide across the hard surface, retrieving his opponent’s aggressive shots deep into the court: as Federer observed: “even in defence he is somewhat offensive”. The Swiss is widely renowned as the world’s best indoor player, and the O2 allows his forehand to zip across the surface under a bubble of noise from his dedicated followers.

Indeed, it was this intense atmosphere which unsettled Murray in his attempt to round off his year in style. His semi-final with Federer may have been on home soil, but he was not treated to the patriotic support he received at the Olympics this year. It is testament to the international pedigree of the tournament that Federer’s fans drowned out those of Murray and provided a hostile atmosphere that aggravated the Brit as the match started to run away from him.

It was easy to presume that after Murray joined the Grand Slam club he would be blessed with unfaltering mental strength, but there is still considerable room for improvement in this department if he is to reach his goal of becoming world number one. Three consecutive tournaments ended in defeat after holding match points before the Tour Finals, and it was somewhat alarming how quickly he collapsed against Federer in the semi-finals, dropping serve from 40-0 up in the second set and never looking like recovering.

The other contenders in the top eight also provided some highlights, although there is perhaps some disappointment that Janko Tipsarevic was not fully fit and able to produce his best after the best season of his career. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga could not replicate his runner-up performance of last year, but his athleticism and delicate touch around the net still provided several entertaining moments for the crowd.

Tomas Berdych had a solid tournament in the tougher of the two groups while the uber-consistent David Ferrer was unlucky to depart in the group stage after he claimed a first Masters title in Paris just one day before the Finals commenced. Juan Martin Del Potro was close to causing a shock against Djokovic after seeing off Federer for the second time in two weeks indoors, and there is a sense that the 2009 US Open winner is returning to his best, with his shots carrying greater weight than ever.

As for the final, it was fitting that the top two players should slug it out for honours, and the spectacle was as immense as you could hope from two living legends on top form. The delayed flicked forehand that Federer struck to save set point in the tiebreak caused unanimous disbelief, and Djokovic raised the standards of defending even further than his Australian triumph while also finding some outrageous angles as he went on the attack.

The world number one fully justified his ranking, while the timeless Federer proved that he is still hungry for more major tournaments. With the Australian Open just two months away, we can look forward to more breathtaking tennis as a certain Spaniard eyes a return to the top of elite men’s tennis.

Matt Bugler

ATP World Tour Finals Preview

As the season-ending indoor event in London kicks off, Tennis reporter Arthur Fane profiles the eight stars on show:

Photo thanks to Carine06

 

NOVAK DJOKOVIC – Australian Open – WINNER, French Open – F, Wimbledon – SF, US Open – F

World no: 1. Novak Djokovic is a man on a mission. After his three Grand Slam titles in 2011, the world number one had a disappointing year by his great standards, winning ‘only’ one Major. Djokovic won the ATP World Tour Finals once in 2008, and will be desperate to prove that he is still on top of the men’s game by winning in style in London. With a devastating return of serve and unrelenting energy he really is a complete tennis player.

Prediction – Final

 

ROGER FEDERER – Australian Open – SF, French Open – SF, Wimbledon – WINNER, US Open – QF

World No: 2. A six-time winner, and two-time defending champion of this prestigious event, Federer has had a consistent if not spectacular year. With 17 Majors to his name, he is truly one of the game’s greats, however having been ousted at the Swiss Indoors, an event he had won in five of the last six years, perhaps the Champ is on the slide? Having already claimed that “whoever wins this wins something more” it is clear how much this event means to Federer, showing he will always be a dangerous opponent.

Prediction – Semi-Final

 

ANDY MURRAY – Australian Open – SF, French Open – QF, Wimbledon – F, US Open – WINNER

World no: 3. 2012 has been the year of Andy Murray. With a Wimbledon final, Olympic gold and silver medals, and topped off with his maiden Grand Slam win at the US Open, the Scot has certainly reached a new gear this year. Competing in this tournament for a fifth straight year, Murray has twice reached the Semi-Finals and will desperately be hoping for more this year.

Prediction – Semi-Final

 

DAVID FERRER – Australian Open – QF, French Open – SF, Wimbledon – QF, US Open – SF

World no: 5. Tennis’ Mr. Consistency Ferrer arrives in London on the back of a well-deserved victory in the Paris Masters. In the absence of world number 4 Rafael Nadal, Ferrer finds himself in the unusual situation of being the only Spaniard in the field, and opponents will have to be aware of his potency from the back of the court. Although he takes his place in undoubtedly the easier of the two groups, avoiding the likes of Murray and Djokovic, the Spaniard may struggle in London.

Prediction – Group

 

TOMAS BERDYCH – Australian Open – QF, French Open – 4^th Rd, Wimbledon – 1^st Rd, US Open – SF

World no: 6. A tough group draw for the Czech makes victory here a tough ask for Berdych. Despite this, he reached the Semi-Finals in 2011, and has a winning record against Murray, meaning he certainly won’t be a push-over – at 6’5” he boasts a dangerous serve and he should perhaps have improved on a sole Wimbledon final.

Prediction – Group

 

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO (pictured) – Australian Open – QF, French Open – QF, Wimbledon – 4^th Rd, US Open – QF

World no: 7. The dark horse of this year’s competition, the Argentine boasts some healthy credentials – still only 24, 6’6”, major winner, and finalist in this completion two years ago, Del Potro has had a mixed year. Despite not passing the Quarter-Finals in any Major this year, he beat Federer on home soil in the Swiss Indoors last month, and will be looking to improve here. I’m sticking my neck out with this prediction, but I think this could be his year.

Prediction – WINNER

 

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA – Australian Open – 4^th Rd, French Open – QF, Wimbledon – SF, US Open – 2^nd Rd

World no: 8. A losing finalist in 2011, Tsonga is one of, if not the most athletic tennis players I have ever seen. In Wimbledon this year, he won over the crowd in his match against Andy Murray with his sheer determination and reckless diving. The Frenchman’s season has been inconsistent, following up a Semi-Final appearance at Wimbledon with a second round loss at the US Open. Were it not for the tough draw, putting him in a group with Murray, Djokovic and Berdych, he may have stood a chance, but I think this may be a step too far for him.

Prediction – Group

 

JANKO TIPSAREVIĆ – Australian Open – 3^rd Rd, French Open – 4^th Rd, Wimbledon – 3^rd Rd, US Open – QF

World no: 9. Replacing the injured Andy Murray for 2 of the round-robin matches last year, Tipsarević pulled off an impressive victory against Djokovic, nearly qualifying for the knock out stages in the process. The Serb’s career has never fully taken off, and after another disappointing year, he qualifies at world number 9, in Nadal’s absence. Tipsarević will surely struggle in a group with Federer and Del Potro, neither of whom he has ever beaten.

Prediction – Group