Friday 18 November 2011

02 Arena set for exciting season finale

One of the most prestigious tennis events of the season returns to London this weekend as the world's top 8 players compete to win the ATP World Tour Finals at the 02 Arena.

With arguably one of the strongest line ups in recent memory - this year's players have 194 career singles titles between them - it is sure to be a thrilling weekend, which kicks off on Sunday with defending champion Roger Federer in action against his Wimbledon nemesis Jo-Wilifried Tsonga. The frenchman however did suffer a 6-1 7-6 defeat at the hands of Federer in the final of the recent Paris Masters but he will look to put that behind him and cause an upset in the first round robin match of the eagerly anticipated season-ending tournament.

The swiss maestro will also look to become the first player in World Tour Finals history to claim the title 6 times; a feat that not even the likes of Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras could achieve, and despite being the tournament favourite if he is to add another trophy to his ever-expanding mantlepiece he must get past Rafael Nadal and Mardy Fish, as well as the popular Tsonga in a tough-looking Group B.

One match not to be missed in Group B is a rematch of the 2010 final between two of the greatest players to have ever stepped foot on a tennis court; that of course being Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. The rivalry between the two tennis masters will once again reignite when the pair meet in London, on a surface on which they cannot be seperated with a 4-4 head to head record during their illustrious careers.

Nadal, who has won 17 of the 25 matches against Federer, will surely hope to round-off what has been a fairly quiet year by his standards by lifting the World Tour Final trophy. The Spanish star has won just three titles all season; all of which came on his favoured clay courts, and despite being the number two in the world many are tipping him for yet more dissappointment at the 02.

In Group A, Andy Murray faces world number one Novak Djokovic in what is sure to be an epic encounter with both players aiming to finish a gruelling season on a high. Djokovic, who has lost only four matches all year, will come up against one of the few players to beat him in what has been a remarkable 2011 for the young Serbian.

After recent impressive tournament victories in Tokyo, Bangkok and Shanghai, Murray is a force to be reckoned with at this years event, and the world number three also has perhaps the slightly easier group to negotiate. The Brit will face Spaniard David Ferrer; a player whom Murray has beaten twice in their last two meetings, aswell as Thomas Berdych. The czech, however, recently ended the British number one's impressive 17 match unbeaten streak with a 4-6 7-6 6-4 victory at the Paris Masters event exactly a week ago.

Despite the imperious performances of Novak Djokovic this season it is hard to look past Federer who surged to victory in Paris last week and who comes in to the season-ending tournament brimming with confidence. There will of course be challenges from both Nadal and Murray, and it would be foolish to write off surprise package Mardy Fish who has enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career, playing some dominant tennis at the net. His style is one that could break down the likes of Djokovic and Federer and the world number eight could be a dark horse to take the title and just over £2,250,000 in prize money when the tournament finishes on the 27th November. Djokovic et al, you have been warned....

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