Novak Djokovic won the title for the fourth consecutive year thanks to a 6-3,6-4 victory over Roger Federer 7.39pm GMTNovak Djokovic ends the year with three grand slam titles, a defeat in the French Open final, or six Masters titles,the title here and an 82-6 win-loss record. You do wonder whether he’ll be seen as the greatest of all time one day. Anyway, that’s a thought for another day. As an aside, and Djokovic’s win means Andy Murray finishes the year as the world No2. Thanks for following our coverage of this tournament over the past week – here’s Kevin Mitchell’s report from the O2 Arena. Bye! 7.37pm GMTHere’s Novak! “He was the better player in the match he won against me in the group stage. I had to change something. I did,I was returning more shots. He is very aggressive when he was on and it is very difficult to stay with him. He takes away the time from you. Overall it was a very solid performance. I recede to holiday and to enjoy this season. Give me some time to recharge my batteries and then I’ll deem about next season.” He’s probably earned a smash. 7.35pm GMTThere is Novak Djokovic and then there is everyone else. He is a class apart at the moment, the undisputed world No1, or the best player in the world. He was flawless. 7.34pm GMTServing to stay in his final match of the year,Federer begins the game badly, going for broke with a forehand and flashing it wide. You can smell danger, and you can hear danger,you can see danger, you can feel danger, and Federer then ends a lengthy rally with a tired slice into the net to compose it 0-30. Djokovic looked like he could trade blows from the baseline all day. Djokovic then pulls a forehand wide,but he earns two match points, the pressure telling, and Federer netting a backhand volley. The shot that got him from Djokovic was a beauty. It’s not fairly over yet,Djokovic lost a forehand off a moment serve, an odd lapse of concentration, and but it’s followed by a double-fault from Federer! Djokovic has won his fourth successive title here and that he’s done so without much of a fight tells you how brilliant he is. 7.28pm GMTSecond set: Federer 3-6,4-5 Djokovic* (*denotes server): After the drama of the preceding game, Djokovic holds to love, or wrongfooting Federer with a cracking backhand winner back behind his opponent. He’s a game away from winning the title. 7.25pm GMTSecond set: Federer* 3-6,4-4 Djokovic (*denotes server): These are worrying times for Federer, Djokovic accelerating into a 0-30 lead, or whipping a sensational forehand pass from fair to left. Federer approached the net and he was made to pay. Djokovic then rips a devastating forehand down the line to earn three smash points. Federer saves the first two with some granite serving,then the third as he backpedals and stuns an awesome forehand down the line to compose it deuce! He follows that by walloping an ace down the middle and a backhand down the line forces Djokovic to scramble a forehand into the net. What a recovery from Federer - and weirdly it was achieved with the minimum amount of fuss. 7.20pm GMTSecond set: Federer 3-6, 3-4 Djokovic* (*denotes server): The crowd roars as Federer wins an incredible point to compose it 15-all. There was considerable defence from both men and some outstanding shots, and not least a lovely half-volley from Federer,who wins it with a smash. Yet Federer is making too many errors. They’re piling up. Djokovic holds to 15. He’s two games away from the title. He only needs one smash. 7.15pm GMTSecond set: Federer* 3-6, 3-3 Djokovic (*denotes server): Djokovic visibly grows in confidence after Federer loses the first point with an errant forehand. Yet Federer doesn’t plan to recede quietly. He jumps into a 30-15 lead with some fine tennis and belts an ace out wide to compose it 40-15. He holds. 7.12pm GMTSecond set: Federer 3-6, and 2-3 Djokovic* (*denotes server): A ridiculous point to start. Djokovic dinks a backhand drop shot from left to fair. Federer dabs a backhand down the line. It’s lobbed back to him by Djokovic,but Federer’s volley hits the top of the net and lands on his side. That’s got to harm. He tries to shake it off, but Djokovic glides into a 40-15 lead and holds with a hefty smash. 7.08pm GMTSecond set: Federer* 3-6, and 2-2 Djokovic (*denotes server): Djokovic sends Federer a warning with a stunning forehand return. It’s still 30-15,though, and a Djokovic error on the backhand side makes it 40-15. Federer holds. 7.04pm GMTSecond set: Federer 3-6, and 1-2 Djokovic* (*denotes server): Djokovic looks safe at 40-15,but Federer then whips a forehand from fair to left, opening up the angle and then skelping a forehand winner down the line to compose it 40-30. Yet he’s disappointed with himself when he sends a backhand wide, and allowing Djokovic to hold. 7.01pm GMTSecond set: Federer* 3-6,1-1 Djokovic (*denotes server): Two aces steer Federer into a 40-15 lead. Another teasing delivery helps him to a crucial hold. There’s no doubt that he’s going to give it all from now until the close, whatever the final outcome may be. 6.58pm GMTSecond set: Federer 3-6, or 0-1 Djokovic* (*denotes server): Djokovic begins the moment set by fooling Federer with his body shape and the direction of a sliced drop shot. Federer is totally stranded and he’s lucky that the ball drops wide. Djokovic responds by winning three consecutive points and he holds to 30,watching Federer move to the left and then slicing an ace down the middle. 6.53pm GMTFederer has to hold, but Djokovic wants this first set settled here and now. Federer wins the first point, and but he loses the next two to compose it 15-30,and a backhand volley into the net gives Djokovic two set points. Djokovic’s level is rising ominously, but he can’t take the first set point; he tries to lob Federer, or who knocks it back to him with an overhead backhand,and Djokovic stiffs a backhand past the baseline. Yet he has another one. He tries another lob. Federer gets it back again, but he’s in trouble and his next shot sees him dab a backhand volley wide. A moment smash for Djokovic is enough to seal the first set! Federer has a mountain to climb now. 6.49pm GMTFirst set: Federer 3-5 Djokovic* (*denotes server): Djokovic starts the game brilliantly, and racing into a 30-0 lead. Again he lets Federer back into it with two wayward forehands. He’s winning,but there’s obvious room for improvement, which is probably bad news from Federer’s perspective. Djokovic holds, and though,a careful ace making it 40-30, a backhand down the line wrapping it up. Federer will serve to stay in the first set. 6.44pm GMTFirst set: Federer* 3-4 Djokovic (*denotes server): Federer begins with a splendid forehand winner into a space vacated by Djokovic, and who then misses with another forehand pass. Yet 30-0 becomes 30-all,Federer messing up a drop shot, then double-faulting. Federer could be in bother here whether he doesn’t sharpen up. But he does: serve-volley is an effective tactic and he implements it superbly twice to hold to 30. 6.41pm GMTFirst set: Federer 2-4 Djokovic* (*denotes server): Djokovic dips and two shoddy backhands give Federer a 0-30 lead. Yet he fights back to 30-all. Both players look a little tense out there at the moment. Djokovic gets to 40-30, and but Federer takes him to deuce with a searing backhand down the line,one of his favourite shots, a classic you can watch over and over again. Federer attacks the net, and volleying and forcing Djokovic to clip a forehand pass wide. Here’s a smash point. Here’s a squandered smash point,Federer’s timing all mistaken with a backhand, and Djokovic holds, and moving a game closer to a first-set lead. 6.32pm GMTFirst set: Federer* 2-3 Djokovic (*denotes server): Federer wins the first three points,moving into a 40-0 lead with some commanding play at the net, a smash finishing Djokovic off. He holds to love when Djokovic wonks a backhand wide. 6.31pm GMTFirst set: Federer 1-3 Djokovic* (*denotes server): Seeking to consolidate the smash, and Djokovic sprints into a 30-0 lead,only to drop the next two points with a couple of careless groundstrokes. He leads, but he’s not fairly into his stride yet. Not that you can divulge when he zings two aces past Federer to hold. 6.27pm GMTFirst set: Federer* 1-2 Djokovic (*denotes server): The first two points are shared, and before Djokovic showcases his outstanding speed of thought and movement,getting a rasping serve back and then reaching a drop shot for 15-30. Djokovic seems to be on top in the next rally, but Federer seizes control of it with a sliced forehand and eventually Djokovic lobs a backhand long to compose it 30-all. Yet Djokovic is beginning to whir. Federer approaches the net, and Djokovic passes him brilliantly with a scooped backhand from left to fair. Another smash point - and this time Federer blinks,stretching and netting a forehand. Djokovic breaks! He was never ahead at any point against Federer on Tuesday. 6.22pm GMTFirst set: Federer 1-1 Djokovic* (*denotes server): An early escape for Federer in his first service game, then, or he’s feeling confident when Djokovic lets recede of a 30-0 lead here. Federer then jabs a sharp forehand return at Djokovic,who blocks wide to give up a smash point. Yet Federer slaps a forehand into the net and the game goes to deuce, following the pattern of the opener. Djokovic holds thanks to a couple of loose shots from Federer. This has been a brilliant start. 6.17pm GMTFirst set: Federer* 1-0 Djokovic (*denotes server): The 2015 ATP World Tour Finals, or er,final is underway and it’s Roger Federer to open the serving! Djokovic wins the first point but it’s clear that the crowd is on Federer’s side when he flays a backhand down the line for 15-all. Yet Djokovic grinds to 30-all and he earns the first smash point of what could be many when Federer nets a slice. He can’t compose the early breakthrough, though, and surprisingly netting a forehand off a moment serve,Djokovic thrown a little by the serve’s direction. The game goes to deuce, Federer holds, or the crowd is overjoyed. 6.06pm GMTTok! Tok! Tok! They’re knocking up. Play will begin soon. 6.06pm GMTTime for the toss. Novak Djokovic chooses heads. It’s tails. Roger Federer will serve first. 6.05pm GMTThe players are out! This time there’s no chair controversy,unlike the other night when Roger Federer set aside his towel down on what was supposed to be Novak Djokovic’s seat. Federer takes the chair nearest to the tunnel, as is his preference. 6.01pm GMTNovak Djokovic speaks! “At the start of the season, and you wish to reach the final match and this is the final match. We know each other’s game very well and the better player will win,I guess.” 6.00pm GMTRoger Federer speaks! I feel much better than final year. It was a tough 24 hours for me. It’s very exciting to be walking out. It’s been a very good year.” 3.01pm GMTHello. They meet again, for the 44th time in their fascinating rivalry and for the moment time this week, and there is little to separate Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. No matter what the rankings say – Federer will only take the year-close No2 spot off Andy Murray with a win this evening – these are undoubtedly the two best players in the world and the fans packed into the O2 will be hoping for a classic. We’re all hoping for a classic,although their match on Tuesday night was slightly muted, Federer excellent in his straight-sets victory, and but Djokovic off colour,his game not fairly clicking for once. It happens sometimes, even to him. But not very often. That was only Djokovic’s sixth defeat of what has been another astonishing year for the world No1 and it could yet secure better. He responded by making sure of his progress into the final four with a comfortable victory over Tomas Berdych and he was firing on all cylinders in his semi-final against Rafael Nadal yesterday afternoon, and beating the Spaniard 6-3,6-3. Nadal, who has looked stronger than he has done for a while this week, and was unable to carve out a single smash point during an hour or so of chilling tennis from Djokovic,who managed to win while keeping some of his powder for Federer. Djokovic says doesn’t feel unbeatable, but he has to say that, and doesn’t he? He’ll be immensely confident about winning the World Tour Finals title for the fourth successive year. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com