After the match, Djokovic was presented with the trophy for finishing the year ranked No 1 in the world, for the fourth time.
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Djokovic will Roger Federer and Tomas Berdych at the round-robin stage. “Undoubtedly it’s been an incredible performance that I was hoping I can have coming into the match, coming into this tournament where I’ve had a great record in last couple of years”. He has won three straight titles since then.
Nishikori was receiving plenty of support from compatriots waving the Japanese flag and a clutch of well-refreshed British fans roaring him on. “Both sets I lost my first service game”, said Nishikori.
Federer began the second set in much better fashion as he broke straight away by moving Berdych off the baseline and putting away the short replies from Berdych.
Murray and Peers were in fine form, holding their nerve to win the deciding match tie-break and clinch a 7-6 3-6 11-9 victory.
Nice to see Nadal get a big win like that, but the story was the lack of anything really from Wawrinka who all but admitted afterwards he just wasn’t into it. It just took him awhile because of his injuries to really, really break through. I was defence all the time.
“I think I was at my best”, said Djokovic.
Odds of 10/3 on the match ending between 22 and 24 games, too, attract.
The Czech also felt the missed break opportunity made all the difference. But then immediately I was playing well.
The 30-year-old Berdych said he had practiced often enough with Nishikori to know what to expect.
After Berdych and Federer traded early breaks to love, the Swiss took the next break for 5-4 on his way to closing out the first set in 37 minutes.
“I served good, I tried to make first serves”. He broke me next game.
Federer was in cruise control for the rest of the match as he only offered up two more games in the contest as Berdych was left dumbfounded by the Swiss player’s smart use of the drop shot which he used to devastating effect.
It’s hard for me at least to conclude that Tuesday’s clash will buck the recent trend of Djokovic victories against Federer (and everybody else) as the surface will not help Federer to play the kind of attacking tennis that could pierce Djokovic’s defenses. “It’s always exciting”, he said.
“Hopefully I can put it back together and get ready for the next match”.
“He doesn’t look really his age, 34”. He re-iterated that he could well not have been playing tennis by now, having thought about giving up the sport back in 2010.
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“It’s going to help me for next year. If you play this way against Roger, you have no chance”.
