Nadal sets up Djokovic Final
World Number One, Rafael Nadal, set up an ATP World Tour Finals decider against defending champion, Novak Djokovic.
Nadal beat Roger Federer 7-5 6-3 and in doing so defeated the 17-time Grand Slam winner for the first time indoors.
In the second semi-final, Djokovic also got the better of Swiss opposition, winning 6-3 6-3 against Stanislas Wawrinka.
Following Federer’s three-set win against Juan Martin Del Potro yesterday afternoon, the Swiss No.1 signalled his intent to make points as short as possible early on, taking any opportunity to look to hit winners.
The six-time winner of this event started well, and had three break points in the eighth game, and the chance to strike the first blow.Having saved those break point chances, Nadal did not look back, breaking in the very next game to lead 5-4.
However, with the set seemingly there for the lefthander to take, Federer found a flash of brilliance to end a 30-stroke rally with a forehand winner to set up a chance to break back.After converting this chance to make it 5-5 there was another momentum shift.
Nadal capitalised on the Swiss’ inconsistent play to break once more, and served the set out 7-5.
The pattern at the start of the second set almost mirrored the first; neither player looking troubled as service holds were exchanged.
The key game in this set was the fifth. As the World No. 1 broke for a 3-2 lead, the fight was beginning to leave the tiring Federer.
The set and match was finally sealed in Nadal’s favour as a Federer volley sailed long to ensure a second, and decisive break for the Spaniard.
The 7-5 6-3 victory was a reflection of the difference between a player who has come back from a long injury lay-off to rediscover his top form, and one who is searching for the consistency that defined much of his career.
In the second game of the day, Novak Djokovic faced up to Stanislas Wawrinka. Wawrinka began sharply, invoking memories of the two 5-set epics between these two men in Grand Slams this year.
After the first two games went with serve, the Swiss No. 2 set up break point with a great passing shot, and secured the break after a venture to the net. Unfortunately for the seventh seed, this was to be the last time he led the match.
Having broken straight back for 2-2, Djokovic began to profit from some loose play from his opponent, and found himself serving for the set at 5-3. Remarkably, it took until the ninth game for the Serbian to hit his first winner of the match, but the set was sewn up in his favour just six points later.
Djokovic’s relentless groundstrokes continued to prove affective as he broke immediately at the start of the second set, and after holding serve, the Serb had more break points to make it 3-0.
The determination that has characterised Wawrinka’s best year on tour to date was on show once more, and he needed every ounce of it to stop the score taking a more embarrassing shape.
A clean winner that was initially called out, and a big serve, kept it at only one break down, and ended Djokovic’s run of five straight games. Wawrinka fought on, saving more break points, as the increasingly confident Australian Open Champion began to venture to the net.
However, as hard as the Swiss fought, it was Djokovic’s night, and the World No. 2 set up another clash with Nadal, as he sealed victory by finally getting the double break in the ninth game of the set.
