WTF 2013 : London Sidewalk Cafe Discussions

[ClayDeath]

04.11.2013 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
London, England Indoor
Hard $ 6,000,000
($ 6,000,000) RR DBL 8 0844 847 2495 +44161 372 0025





it is closer than you think. lets get this party started.


who are you cheering for at WTF? who is the heavy favorite and who is your dark horse?

who has the inside track from your own vantage point?

can andy and roger shine at WTF? they both have something to prove.



have at it. the floor is at your disposal.

post away and have a blast.

cheers.

 

[ClayDeath]

maybe roger will delight his fans with another WTF crown.

the surface there suits his game and the foremat is best of 3 sets.

it is certainly possible.


that said, here are my picks:


1. andy murray
2. roger
3. nadal
4. nole


I am going to make andy and roger the heavy favorites.

 

[DarthFed]

Roger has to get there first. I don't know the YTD points race but Stan and Gasquet have to be right there with him for 7th and 8th.

 

[ClayDeath]

he should be able to make it there.

 

[ClayDeath]

MURRAY BECOMES THIRD PLAYER TO QUALIFY FOR THE 2013 BARCLAYS ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS

LONDON – Andy Murray will look to maintain his unbeaten record on home soil this year with victory at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The Scot has become the third player to qualify for the season finale, to be held at The O2 in London from 4-11 November. Murray, who reached the quarter-finals at the US Open, secured his place at the season finale for the sixth straight year.

“I’ve played some of my best tennis in front of my home crowd at Queen’s and Wimbledon this year so hopefully I can keep up that run of form at The O2 in November,” said Murray. “It will be great to compete in London again for the first time since winning Wimbledon. It’s a key focus for me for the rest of the season and I’ll do everything I can to give myself the best chances of winning it. The atmosphere there is always special – to win it would be the perfect way to finish the season.”

The 26-year-old Murray joins Spaniard Rafael Nadal and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic as the first singles players to qualify for the elite eight-man event. The trio currently leads the Emirates ATP Race To London standings.

Dunblane-born Murray has a 12-0 record on home soil this season, preceding his historic Wimbledon triumph with victory at the Aegon Championships at The Queen’s Club. The Scot was also a finalist at the Australian Open and collected titles at the Brisbane International and the Sony Open in Miami.

Murray is a three-time semi-finalist at the season finale, reaching the last four in Shanghai in 2008 (l. to Davydenko) and London in 2010 (l. to Nadal) and 2012 (l. to Federer). He is bidding to become the first British player to win the season finale.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

Nadal versus Murray has been a long time coming. Fascinatingly absent rivalry.

 

[ClayDeath]

I will cheer for andy at WTF.

 

[Front242]

Roger's reverting back to the new racquet now which he hasn't used much so I sadly don't put him as even 2nd favourite there should he qualify unless he's practicing like a demon with it now.

 

[ClayDeath]

roger is likely to be factor and a threat in best of 3 sets environments.


he has not lost that much on his serve and his forehand.


he has to try to fix his return first and foremost.


backhand could be more consistent.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Neither Murray nor Nole play the kind of tennis at the WTF that bothers Nadal, like Roger's game does. And assuming Roger will not considerably step up his game from here till the WTF, Nadal should win his first ever title there. It has been the norm for Nadal to take the fall off throughout his career, but I think this year is different and he must feel this is his year to finally bag this one.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

If Nadal win the World Tour Finals, he'll have domination over almost the entire tennis Calendar apart from the Australian Open, Miami and Wimbledon. And he may gain significantly at those events next year. By July next year he may have in his possession almost every title of the calendar. This is quite a remarkable domination we are witnessing, if he pulls it off at the World Tour Finals especially.

 

[ClayDeath]

I am not sold. I think nadal has put too much on his plate.


his services may be needed at Davis cup finals exactly one week after wtf.


that may be on his mind during wtf.

then there is this little matter of mental and physical capital.


he is just 1 man. sooner or later something has to give.


as for nole, his stock continues to take hit. so I am not sure about him also.

maybe Andy will steal the show.

 

[rafanoy1992]

Neither Murray nor Nole play the kind of tennis at the WTF that bothers Nadal, like Roger's game does. And assuming Roger will not considerably step up his game from here till the WTF, Nadal should win his first ever title there. It has been the norm for Nadal to take the fall off throughout his career, but I think this year is different and he must feel this is his year to finally bag this one.

Although I agree with your points Murat, I still think Djokovic and maybe Murray are favorites over Nadal. Now, I am not saying Nadal can't play well in World Tour Finals and beat those two players but this is still Nadal's least favorite surface. In addition, I think Djokovic and Murray will try very hard to win this title to gain some momentum going to the Australian Open 2014.

 

[Front242]

Judging this far ahead is pointless in all honesty. For Nadal the best gauge of level is how he performs at Basel as this is the most similar surface to the WTF and this is just the reason he's playing it as a tune up event. WTF 2013 pretty much sums up Fed's year.

 

[August]

I am not sold. I think nadal has put too much on his plate.


his services may be needed at Davis cup finals exactly one week after wtf.


that may be on his mind during wtf.

then there is this little matter of mental and physical capital.


he is just 1 man. sooner or later something has to give.


as for nole, his stock continues to take hit. so I am not sure about him also.

maybe Andy will steal the show.

Rafa at the DC final?:laydownlaughing

If Ukraine did great job, Rafa wouldn't be in the DC final even next year. I mean Spain lost on the R1 and are in the WG play-off next weekend.

Anyway, WTF usually has a low bounce, that should hurt Rafa and favour Roger. But I believe this will be decided between Nole and Andy. Nole is a two-time WTF champ and I think the home crowd helps Andy. I'm not a huge Andy fan but I'd still like him to win the WTF in there next three tournaments when it's in London.

 

[ClayDeath]

Andy is on a roll in London. he took queens and Wimbledon.


this might his year for the wtf crown.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I am not sold. I think nadal has put too much on his plate.


his services may be needed at Davis cup finals exactly one week after wtf.


that may be on his mind during wtf.

then there is this little matter of mental and physical capital.


he is just 1 man. sooner or later something has to give.


as for nole, his stock continues to take hit. so I am not sure about him also.

maybe Andy will steal the show.

Spain can't qualify for the Davis Cup final.

 

[Moxie]

Judging this far ahead is pointless in all honesty. For Nadal the best gauge of level is how he performs at Basel as this is the most similar surface to the WTF and this is just the reason he's playing it as a tune up event. WTF 2013 pretty much sums up Fed's year.

I think it's too early to say, too. I'd like to see Nadal snag one, and this could be a good year for it, but, as you say, Front, it will be interesting to see how he plays in Basel. And I hope he doesn't play too much before the YEC.

 

[ClayDeath]

we have been looking at these players for just about the whole year now.


the time is just right. in fact the whole world is talking about wtf right about now.


just look at the ATP site for instance.


right now is time to anticipate and speculate folks.

 

[Moxie]

Here's the current points standing to the YEC:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/rankings/ytd-singles.aspx