Missed a moment of the action on Friday at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals? Here’s your executive summary:
1) Murray Completes Hat-Trick
World No. 1 Andy Murray posted a perfect 3-0 record in Group John McEnroe with a comprehensive 6-4, 6-2 victory over third seed Stan Wawrinka. He extended his win streak to 22 matches and improved his FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Wawrinka to 10-7. A victory over Milos Raonic in Saturday’s semi-final would allow the Brit to reach the final for the 12th time in his past 13 events. Read Match Report
Even though Wawrinka hit the ball harder from the baseline, Murray utilised a Serve +1 strategy to perfection in defeating the Swiss star. Read Brain Game.
His win also means his battle with Novak Djokovic to finish the year at the top of the Emirates ATP Rankings continues to heat up. Both Murray and Djokovic can leave London as World No. 1 by winning the title. Read Battle For Year-End No. 1 Explained
2) Wawrinka Shows Off Soft Hands
Wawrinka may have lost to Murray, but he won the point of the match with some brilliant feel around the net.
3) Nishikori Advances To Semi-finals
Because of Murray’s victory over Wawrinka, fifth seed Kei Nishikori was assured to finish in second place in Group John McEnroe. His celebration received a minor blip, though, as seventh seed Marin Cilic prevailed 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 over the Japanese star. The victory was Cilic’s first win in his sixth career match at The O2. Read Match Report
4) Murray/Soares Clinch No. 1
With fifth seeds Henri Kontinen/John Peers recording a tight 6-7(5), 6-4, 10-4 win over top seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert/Nicolas Mahut, Jamie Murray/Bruno Soares were guaranteed the season-ending No. 1 Emirates ATP Doubles Team Rankings. Murray/Soares became only the third team to ever claim the honour in their first season together.
If the second seeds can win the title on Sunday, Soares will also become the 50th player (since 1976) to reach the individual No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings. Read Murray/Soares Clinch No. 1
5) Doubles Semi-finalists Locked In
Kontinen/Peers improved to 3-0 this week with their victory over Herbert/Mahut, putting them in first place in Group Fleming/McEnroe. The Finnish-Australian pair are now on an eight-match win streak and have won 12 of their past 14 matches. Read Match Report
Joining them in the semi-finals are seventh seeds Raven Klaasen/Rajeev Ram, who scored a tight 6-3, 7-6(8) win over fourth seeds Feliciano Lopez/Marc Lopez, enabling them to finish second in Group Fleming/McEnroe. The Spaniards fought valiantly in the tie-break, but Klaasen/Ram wrapped up the contest on their fifth match point. Read Match Report