London ATP Tour Finals

[EdbergsGhost]

Group Stan Smith:  Djokovic, Federer, Berdych, Nishikori

Group Ilie Nastase:  Murray, Wawrinka, Nadal, Ferrer

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/djokovic-federer-in-same-group-at-2015-barclays-atp-world-tour-finals

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[EdbergsGhost]

ORDER OF PLAY - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2015
CENTRE start 12:00 noon
[4] J. Murray (GBR) / J. Peers (AUS) vs [5] S. Bolelli (ITA) / F. Fognini (ITA)

Not Before 2:00 pm
[1] N. Djokovic (SRB) vs [8] K. Nishikori (JPN)

Starting at 6:00 pm
[1] B. Bryan (USA) / M. Bryan (USA) vs [8] R. Bopanna (IND) / F. Mergea (ROU)

Not Before 8:00 pm
[3] R. Federer (SUI) vs [6] T. Berdych (CZE)



ORDER OF PLAY - MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015
CENTRE start 12:00 noon
[2] J. Rojer (NED) / H. Tecau (ROU) vs [7] M. Matkowski (POL) / N. Zimonjic (SRB)

Not Before 2:00 pm
[2] A. Murray (GBR) vs [7] D. Ferrer (ESP)

Starting at 6:00 pm
[3] I. Dodig (CRO) / M. Melo (BRA) vs [6] P. Herbert (FRA) / N. Mahut (FRA)

Not Before 8:00 pm
[4] S. Wawrinka (SUI) vs [5] R. Nadal (ESP)

 

[Denis]

Group I is the tougher one for sure. I can see Novak's indoor streak coming to an end. Hope not.

Is Murray still committed to tanking so that he can prep for Davis Cup?

 

[Moxie]

My ideal group would have switched Federer or Berdych for Wawrinka in Nadal's group, but it's pretty close to the one I hoped for.  I don't think Murray will tank, though he will be pretty motivated to win DC for Britain this year.  This is a great opportunity for them.

 

[Billie]

I agree with you Moxie, I think Andy will try hard enough, or at least play all his matches but only he knows how much effort he'll apply.  If he feels he can give his 100% to both, I think he will.

Yeah the groups are kind of even.  I am happy they start on Sunday so I can at least watch one day live until the weekend.

 

[Moxie]

Hey:  an argument for indoor clay at the O2.  If they didn't have to switch surfaces, then it would favor Murray and GB.  If the surfaces switches up for the DC, why can't it switch up for the WTF?  I get that this is nominally the "indoor HC season," but there are plenty of parts of the season that don't exactly respect surfaces.  Like the clay after Wimbledon.  Or Rotterdam after Oz...isn't that indoor HCs?  The tyranny of hard-courts as "default-surface," even though they were the last ones to become a factor in tennis.

 

[britbox]

The ATP and London have just done a deal to keep the ATP Tour Finals in the city until 2018.

http://goo.gl/RJ6qSK

 

 

[Mastoor]

The ATP and London have just done a deal to keep the ATP Tour Finals in the city until 2018. http://goo.gl/RJ6qSK

I wonder how they managed to do it. I know No1e was strongly against it last year. After reading about uncivilised behaviour of the fans, I am not glad  wtf stayed in London neither.

I watched the draw and noticed that Fed wasn't happy with his placement, he obviously hoped for Murray whom he beat in last 2 slams semifinals.

 

 

 

[Federberg]

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/11/nadal-reiterates-desire-see-season-ending-championship-clay/56810/#.VkXESbfhBpg

 

I get so irritated with Rafa when he makes these self serving comments. Guga was every bit as much of a dirt-baller as he is, and he was no where near as successful as Rafa has been on other surfaces. He won the WTF. Rafa should just pipe down and get on with it!

 

[mrzz]

And my countryman Guga, which played on the same courts as I did when I was kid (as I never forget to mention), did so by beating Sampras and Agassi, not that I consider much beating Agassi, but ok...

 

[isabelle]

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/11/nadal-reiterates-desire-see-season-ending-championship-clay/56810/#.VkXESbfhBpg I get so irritated with Rafa when he makes these self serving comments. Guga was every bit as much of a dirt-baller as he is, and he was no where near as successful as Rafa has been on other surfaces. He won the WTF. Rafa should just pipe down and get on with it!

You must understand Manacor's bull : if Masters was played on clay, he would have won several and Federer 1 or maybe 0....it's obvious that indoor isn't his cup of tea and he feel bitter about it

 

[Federberg]

Federberg wrote:
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/11/nadal-reiterates-desire-see-season-ending-championship-clay/56810/#.VkXESbfhBpg I get so irritated with Rafa when he makes these self serving comments. Guga was every bit as much of a dirt-baller as he is, and he was no where near as successful as Rafa has been on other surfaces. He won the WTF. Rafa should just pipe down and get on with it!

You must understand Manacor’s bull : if Masters was played on clay, he would have won several and Federer 1 or maybe 0….it’s obvious that indoor isn’t his cup of tea and he feel bitter about it

 

Haha! I agree Isabelle. As the saying goes, if my granny had balls she would be my grandpa!

 

[Denis]

And my countryman Guga, which played on the same courts as I did when I was kid (as I never forget to mention), did so by beating Sampras and Agassi, not that I consider much beating Agassi, but ok…

Kuerten is a legend. He sealed the year end no 1 with it too I believe.

 

[Moxie]

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/11/nadal-reiterates-desire-see-season-ending-championship-clay/56810/#.VkXESbfhBpg I get so irritated with Rafa when he makes these self serving comments. Guga was every bit as much of a dirt-baller as he is, and he was no where near as successful as Rafa has been on other surfaces. He won the WTF. Rafa should just pipe down and get on with it!

Perhaps self-serving, but not completely unfair.  You can see my comments on the thread about Nadal's thoughts.  I don't think there is any reason that the WTF has to be on indoor hards every year.  And I do think it's not representational of the best of the year.

 

[Moxie]

Federberg wrote:
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/11/nadal-reiterates-desire-see-season-ending-championship-clay/56810/#.VkXESbfhBpg I get so irritated with Rafa when he makes these self serving comments. Guga was every bit as much of a dirt-baller as he is, and he was no where near as successful as Rafa has been on other surfaces. He won the WTF. Rafa should just pipe down and get on with it!

You must understand Manacor’s bull : if Masters was played on clay, he would have won several and Federer 1 or maybe 0….it’s obvious that indoor isn’t his cup of tea and he feel bitter about it

Yes, he would have.   And if RG were played on HCs, then maybe Fed and Novak wouldn't be so short on the count, between them, especially Novak.  The point is that RG will always be played on clay, Wimbledon on grass, and the others seem to have changed over the years.  But there is still no reason that the YEC has to be immutably played on indoor hards.  That's not just Rafa being bitter...it's a reasonable conversation.  Why does the WTF have to be played on indoor hards for the last 2 decades?

 

[ClayDeath]

the tour is looking for a long term bidder. there is plenty of interest in this event from other regions.

so count on it for it to move. that is going to happen.

one other thing is going to happen and you can count on that too: it will always be played on indoor courts.

that is the way the tour wants it. it is at the year end and there is no room for exposure to the elements.

the conditions have to be near perfect and guaranteed. best lighting possible, complete climate control, bounce predictability, and so on. timely coverage of the event so the tour can showcase its marquee year end event to the globe.

Rafa may be suggesting possible options for the future but there are no options. atp tour wants this in an indoor arena and they want it on the hard courts. hard courts offer the predictability that they want.

I think this event will end up in cash rich gulf states in the near future.

djokovic too has offered some options: he said he it should probably move around. means nothing.

the tour wants and will snag a long term bidder and lock them in. and that is where it is likely to be for 6-10 years once the London deal is done.

 

[Mastoor]

I think it would be very strange to have clay court wtf in the middle of hard court season. Perhaps they can move wtf to April, May or June to suit claycourters ;-)

I see that no one opened a thread about Big 3 and Murray talking about anti doping.  I think it is quite big because Fed imputed some tennis players dope by insisting that the samples should be kept for years and that No1e dopes by saying he's surprised there's no one to collect samples every time he loses final. We know to whom he lost last 2 slam finals.  I expect No1e to sanction this in the group with love and love.

There's no explanation yet how London managed to keep wtf despite Barclay's cancelling sponsorship with atp.

I am looking forward to the start tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

[Moxie]

I think it would be very strange to have clay court wtf in the middle of hard court season.

 No stranger than that the DC is going to be played on indoor clay courts just a bit later.  Or that indoor hards come back after the AO, or that clay comes back after Wimbledon.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

wtf has got an extension in London up to and including 2018 (??)..think so anyhoo.

atp are really pleased with attendances for all the sessions onsite and the global tv audience too.

 

[Federberg]

Federberg wrote:
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/11/nadal-reiterates-desire-see-season-ending-championship-clay/56810/#.VkXESbfhBpg I get so irritated with Rafa when he makes these self serving comments. Guga was every bit as much of a dirt-baller as he is, and he was no where near as successful as Rafa has been on other surfaces. He won the WTF. Rafa should just pipe down and get on with it!

Perhaps self-serving, but not completely unfair. You can see my comments on the thread about Nadal’s thoughts. I don’t think there is any reason that the WTF has to be on indoor hards every year. And I do think it’s not representational of the best of the year.

I'm not really sure what fair has to do with it. What I see is an all time great who instead of girding himself for the challenge is whinging about something that lesser players have been able to overcome. If Davydenko and Guga can win the thing he can too. He doesn't represent himself well by these sorts of things