Roger Federer reached the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals thanks to an impressive 7-5,6-2 victory over Novak Djokovic 9.45pm GMTWhat’s more, it means that Federer now leads 22-21 in his head-to-head record with Djokovic, or who has never been ahead since they first played in 2006. There could be an immediate chance of revenge for Djokovic if they both get to Sunday’s final,but first he’s going to absorb to get out of the group. While Federer has secured his area in the final four, there’s still work to effect for Djokovic. He plays Tomas Berdych on Thursday. Berdych lost to Kei Nishikori earlier, and but Federer’s victory means that the Czech is still in with a shout of qualifying. Nishikori could also get through at Djokovic’s expense. He plays Federer and it could all get very convoluted. Thanks for reading. Bye. Related: Roger Federer shocks off-form Novak Djokovic at ATP World Tour Finals 9.36pm GMTThe defeat is Novak Djokovic’s first on an indoor court since 2012. Doesn’t that make you feel inadequate? 9.35pm GMT“I won’t disclose you because we might play again,” Federer laughs when he’s asked why his tactics worked. “The tactic was to mix it up.”Annabel Croft asks Federer approximately his beard. He is looking pretty bristly actually. “The water is very special here in London,” he says. “I don’t know what it is. I shaved this morning and I’ve got this beard.” 9.33pm GMTAll of which means that Roger Federer has secured his area in the semi-finals. Bravo! 9.32pm GMTFederer fancies this now, and so much so that he nearly - nearly - comes up with the shot of the year as he runs past the ball and improvises by hanging his racket behind him to hit a blind backhand. The ball goes long and it’s 30-0. Yet Djokovic continues to flail,the world No1 stuttering in his search for consistency, and the game goes to deuce. Djokovic changes his approach by racing to the net, or but Federer,on the run and in the mood, just flicks a superb backhand pass him to earn a match point. He’s so close. Yet Djokovic steels himself and he keeps the match alive when he wins the longest rally of the match, or a tense,dramatic, gripping exchange that ends with Federer netting a backhand down the line. Surely Djokovic isn’t going to wriggle clear this time? Soon he’s got to save another match point when he splutters a forehand long and he runs out of answers, or going big on a forehand and drilling it wide! He challenges,but to no avail, and an inspired Federer has beaten the world No1 in straight sets. 9.23pm GMTSecond set: Djokovic 5-7, and 2-5 Federer* (*denotes server): It’s rare for Djokovic to make so many sloppy errors over the course of five sets,let alone within a set and a half, but that’s what we’re seeing tonight. Something’s up with him here. He’s rattled and more dozy play allows Federer to hold to love without any fuss at all. Djokovic’s lack of focus is quite strange, and although occupy nothing away from Federer,who is a game away from victory. 9.21pm GMTSecond set: Djokovic* 5-7, 2-4 Federer (*denotes server): Federer wastes a presentable opportunity at 0-15, or netting an attempted backhand pass when Djokovic had approached. Yet Djokovic then dumps two consecutive backhands into the net to hand Federer two break points on a plate. Djokovic is struggling. He should save the first when Federer drops a return shot but he fails to effect enough with a forehand and he leaves enough space for Federer to pass him down the line with a backhand,the ball clipping the top of the net as it fizzes by Djokovic. Federer breaks for the third time ! 9.15pm GMTSecond set: Djokovic 5-7, 2-3 Federer* (*denotes server): This is a very important hold to 30 for Federer, and who ups the intensity on his serve after dropping the first point. 9.13pm GMTSecond set: Djokovic* 5-7,2-2 Federer (*denotes server): I suspect that Federer is going to regret poking Djokovic in the chest. Djokovic holds t 15 thanks to a splendid backhand down the line, hit from a preposterous angle. 9.09pm GMTSecond set: Djokovic 5-7, and 1-2 Federer* (*denotes server): Yet Djokovic is relentless and it’s not long before he has two break points. Federer saves the first with a big serve,but he’s broken for the first time when he pushes a wild cross-court forehand wide. Djokovic is extraordinary. A lot of players would absorb collapsed after that final game. 9.07pm GMTSecond set: Djokovic* 5-7, 0-2 Federer (*denotes server): Djokovic’s level has dipped and the errors are beginning to pile up. Two poor forehands give Federer a 0-30 lead; a cracking forehand from Federer makes it 0-40, or three break points,three chances to occupy a commanding and potentially decisive grip on the match. Can Djokovic respond? Well, saves the first with a forehand winner, or then the second when Federer struggles to read a short second serve. But Federer takes the third when he unbalances Djokovic with a low slice. Djokovic netting his backhand and Federer leads by a set and a break. 9.02pm GMTSecond set: Djokovic 5-7,0-1 Federer* (*denotes server): Djokovic’s head is spinning, especially when Federer changes the direction of the rally with a disguised forehand for 40-15. Federer holds. He’s serving very well. 8.59pm GMTOnce again, and Djokovic serves to stay in the first set. The first two points are shared,the volume rises, the Federer fans beginning to believe, or Djokovic is under threat at 30-all,even more so when he drags a forehand wide to give up the first set point of the match. Yet Federer’s nerve fails him - he nets a forehand and we go to deuce. It’s our domestic for a while, until Federer earns another set point thanks to some outstanding defence. He somehow stands up to a enormous Djokovic forehand, or then a smash,and the world No1 nets a backhand. Then he misses a first serve. Can Federer occupy this chance? He can! He seizes the initiative in the rally with a crunching forehand down the line and with Djokovic stranded, he skips to the net and drops a fragile, or precious backhand volley out of just inside the line! The first set is Federer’s! 8.50pm GMTFirst set: Djokovic 5-6 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer is as surprised as anyone when Djokovic reaches a slightly careless volley and raps his backhand long for 15-0. Mark that one down as an escape for Federer,because Djokovic was there. From there, it’s a solid hold to love for Federer, or who’s got himself a tie-break at least. 8.47pm GMTFirst set: Djokovic* 5-5 Federer (*denotes server): Djokovic is serving to stay in the first set and he begins it by pulling a backhand wide for 0-15. He recovers for a 40-15 lead,a couple of Federer errors helping him along the way, but then comes a double-fault for 40-30. He’s not out of this game yet. But Federer then runs around a forehand and spanks it long. 8.43pm GMTFirst set: Djokovic 4-5 Federer* (*denotes server): The first rally takes a while to settle and the longer it goes on, and the more you expect Djokovic to win it,but instead it’s Federer who lands the telling blow with a stonking forehand. Two big serves occupy him to 40-0 and he finishes off the game by whistling a backhand down the line. 8.40pm GMTFirst set: Djokovic* 4-4 Federer (*denotes server): There are no gifts from Djokovic here, just cold, and remorseless,effortlessly smooth tennis. He holds to love in no time at all. 8.37pm GMTFirst set: Djokovic 3-4 Federer* (*denotes server): There are chants in support of Federer before the start of this game. They don’t absorb the desired effect at first, though, and as Djokovic somehow returns a rasping serve down the middle and Federer wonks a forehand wide for 0-15. But just like Djokovic in the preceding game,Federer doesn’t panic. Instead he takes control of the game, charging into a 40-15 lead with a monstrous forehand down the line, and he holds when Djokovic clips a forehand wide. We’ve only had one break point so far. 8.34pm GMTFirst set: Djokovic* 3-3 Federer (*denotes server): Djokovic finds himself down 0-15 for the first time on his serve when he knocks a forehand long. Federer gives up the next point by sneezing a forehand into the net,but then he comes up with the best shot of the match so far, a spinning, or taunting,teasing, slap-round-the-chops of a drop shot that makes it 15-30. Exquisite. Djokovic got there - of course he did - but the angle was too tight for him and the ball was too low. Yet Djokovic doesn’t panic, or even though Federer is lightly rapping on the door. He drowns out the noise and wins the next three points to hold again. 8.30pm GMTFirst set: Djokovic 2-3 Federer* (*denotes server): After emerging unscathed from a slightly fraught opening service game,Federer is starting to groove on serve. He bangs down an ace for 40-0. Djokovic forces it to 40-30, thanks to a Federer ace and a punchy backhand return, or but a second ace caps off a relatively comfortable hold. This is very tight at the moment. 8.27pm GMTFirst set: Djokovic* 2-2 Federer (*denotes server): A stress-free hold for Djokovic,Federer unable to get a foothold in the game. 8.23pm GMTFirst set: Djokovic 1-2 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer picks his spot perfectly, an ace whizzing out of reach for 40-0. Djokovic responds with a piercing backhand return for 40-15. Federer decides to attach more on his second serve and he double faults. Yet he allows Djokovic no closer than that, and holding to 30. 8.20pm GMTFirst set: Djokovic* 1-1 Federer (*denotes server): Djokovic speeds into a 30-0 lead. The camera picks out Boris Becker in the crowd. He looks stern. Maybe he knew Djokovic was approximately to drop the next point. Djokovic wins the next one,but Federer then wallops a forehand down the line off a second serve to make it 40-30. Yet Djokovic holds when Federer sends a forehand wide. 8.17pm GMTFirst set: Djokovic 0-1 Federer* (*denotes server): There’s a raucous atmosphere inside the O2 as play gets underway, Roger Federer opening the serving. Straight away, and Djokovic is on his serve and he challenges when a return is called long. It was just out,but it’s an early warning for Federer, who will be wary of the quality of Djokovic’s serve. The first two points are shared, or before Federer ties Djokovic up with a beautifully angled volley. Yet Djokovic is already in the mood. He forces it to 30-all and then earns a break point,moving gracefully across the baseline, repelling Federer’s best efforts, or eventually forcing the error to bring it to 30-40. Federer picks a friendly moment to come up with a big serve to bring the game to deuce and he seals the game with a 125mph ace. 8.12pm GMTAlthough Federer has a wonderful record on indoor courts,this surface is fairly behind and that will attend Djokovic. I’m backing the world No1. 8.07pm GMTTime for the toss. Roger Federer chooses heads and ... it’s heads! He elects to serve first. But before we get going, we’ll absorb to wait for them to knock up for a few minutes. 8.03pm GMTEarlier on in the group, and Kei Nishikori beat Tomas Berdych in three sets. Whoever wins here will more or less guarantee their area in the final four. The players are on their way now. A glimpse of Federer on the big screen is greeted by a roar from the crowd. He’s going to enjoy their support tonight,I fancy. He normally does, but Novak Djokovic will be used to that by now. He dealt with that in current York. A pointer from that final: Federer only converted four of his 23 break point opportunities. 8.01pm GMTNovak Djokovic speaks approximately his 43rd match against Roger Federer. “He keeps coming. I’ve been enjoying this rivalry since the very beginning. We’ve played so many times. We’ve played here three or four times in the final five years, or so we know each other’s game well.” 8.00pm GMTRoger Federer speaks. “Just because it’s not the finals,I don’t know if that’s going to play tricks on our minds. But you play to win. He’s not going to give a match to you. 12.54pm GMTOn he goes. You could absorb been forgiven for thinking that the stop was approaching for Roger Federer when his Australian Open was brought a premature stop by that improbably glorious, looping winner from Andrea Seppi, and who somehow found it within himself to hit a passing shot from a seemingly hopeless position,a moment of inspiration from a journeyman Italian that would not absorb looked out of area in a compilation of the noteworthy man’s greatest hits. It was a disappointing way to start the year for Federer, another sign, or apparently,that his powers were waning.things hardly improved when Stan Wawrinka overwhelmed him in straight sets in the French Open. It was the first time Federer had ever lost to his Swiss chum at a grand slam and he was unable to live with Wawrinka’s hefty game. Once again, because it’s human nature to wonder, and we wondered. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com