ATP World Tour Finals: Days 5-6

Group A
R. Nadal d. T. Berdych 7-6(3) 6-1
N. Djokovic d. A. Roddick 6-2 6-2

Group B
R. Federer d. R. Soderling 7-6(5) 6-3
A. Murray d. David Ferrer 6-2 6-2

Like last year, there was an interesting symmetry at play with both groups regarding their final results. Top seeds Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer won all three of their round robin matches making them leaders of their respective groups. On the other hand, their first round opponents Andy Roddick and David Ferrer fell for the third consecutive time forcing them to leave London with a dismal 0-3 record.

Those two needed to win to even have a chance, but once they were defeated, it was pretty easy math. With Nadal and Federer defeated Tomas Berdych and Robin Soderling, all Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray had to do was win a set against their opponents in the final match. They did, in fact they both won in straight sets.

Unlike last year, there were no super complicated tiebreaker scenarios needed to figure out who moved on to the semi-finals. The four players who won 2 or more matches in the round robin moved through. Easy!


Semifinal Previews

R. Nadal [1] v. A. Murray [5]
R. Federer [2] v. N. Djokovic [3]

Could anyone have scripted this any better? These four men, who will finish as the top 4 for the third year straight, are left to contest the ATP World Tour Finals. Plus If all goes according to plan we might even get our first Federer-Nadal final at the World Tour Finals! What a way to end the year!

Nadal is 8-4 in H2H over Murray, but the two times they met in hard court this year, Murray won in straight sets over the Spaniard. Federer has a 12-6 H2H edge against Djokovic and 3-1 in matches they played this year, with the one loss coming in that classic US Open semi-finals. Do note however that Federer with a 12-0 against Davydenko last year at this same stage and ended up losing to the Russian. GAME ON.