Nadal Wins “Group A” At ATP Finals; Federer v Del Potro In Knockout Match Saturday
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Rafael Nadal finished the round-robin stage of the ATP Finals in London with a perfect 3-0 mark after subduing Tomas Berdych today 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. The win for the World No. 1 assures him of the top seed in Group and will put him against the second place Group B winner, either Roger Federer or Juan Martin del Potro, on Sunday in the semifinals.
“I [attained] my goal,” said Nadal. “I am in the semifinals without losing a match. So that’s most important thing for me.
“Any opponent will be very difficult. We are playing against the best players in the world. So if is Del Potro, if is Federer, both players know very well how to beat me, on this surface especially. The only way to win the match of semi-finals is by playing my best match, playing fantastic tennis. I have one day off. One day tomorrow to keep playing well, keep trying to improve a little bit more.”
Nadal improved his season match record to 74-6, including 35-3 on hard courts. He is the first active player to win at least 35 matches on clay (39) and hard courts in the same season. He also advanced to the semifinals for the 16th time in 17 tournaments. He is an ATP World Tour-best 23-4 vs. Top 10 opponents this year.
Berdych, who won just one match at the event for the second year in a row, now looks ahead to the Davis Cup final next weekend against Serbia in Belgrade.
In the first match of the day, Finals debutante Stanislas Wawrinka took out David Ferrer 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-1. The win put the Swiss in position to earn a semifinal if Berdych lost, and that’s what happened.
Vamooooos!!! Next diner is for me @RafaelNadal !! Good job!! #FinalShowdown pic.twitter.com/EUJeUPJJeq
— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) November 8, 2013
: #Nadal on Wawrinka: "He's a good friend. Before the match he came to my locker and wished me good luck. Said I would try my best"
— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) November 8, 2013
The reward for Wawrinka will be a US Open semifinal rematch with Novak Djokovic.
Before then, defending champion Djokovic puts his 19 match win streak on the line against Richard Gasquet. The Serb has won nine of 10 against the Frenchman including 7-1 on hard courts. Djokovic has also won 19 of the previous 23 sets and has won the past seven meetings in straight sets. Gasquet’s only win did come in round robin play during the 2007 Shanghai Tennis Masters Cup.
In a crucial first match, Roger Federer and Juan Martin del Potro meet for the third time in as many week. This contest will also carry with it a spot in the semifinals.
Federer leads their head-to-head record 14-3 (9-5 on hard). The Argentine won in the final at the Swiss Indoors in Basel 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 two weeks ago and in the quarterfinals last Friday at Paris, Federer prevailed 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. This will be their third meeting at the Finals and del Potro won the previous round robin matches in three sets in 2009 and last year.
“It’s going to be a decision match for both,” del Potro said. “We play in every Masters, the last match of the group, and we always play for something, which is good for be focus and with the high expectations.
I will try to do my best. I know for me has been a long season, a lot of matches in the end of the year. I’m getting tired. But is the last effort. Could be the last effort of the year, so I will try to enjoy and do the best I can.”
Federer, who is appearing in the season finale for the 12th year in a row, is trying to reach the semi-finals for the 11th time. The only time he didn’t reach the semis was in 2008 when he went 1-2 in round robin play.
Asked to pick a winner between the two on Thursday, Djokovic said he couldn’t.
“It’s difficult to say really because all the matches that they played against each other this year, lately, had went the distance,” Novak said of Federer-del Potro. “The last one was in Bercy that also was decided with a break of serve in the end of the match.
“Roger is definitely playing better than he was throughout the whole year. He loves these conditions. He likes this court,” he added. “But on the other hand, Del Potro has big serve. I can expect a three‑set battle. I can’t pick the winner.”
SATURDAY ATP FINALS SCHEDULE
Noon, Dodig/Melo vs. Qureshi/Rojer
2pm. Del Potro vs. Federer
5:45, Bryan/Bryan vs. Fyrstenberg/Matkowski
8pm, Djokovic vs. Gasquet
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