Andy Murray meets Stan Wawrinka in Group John McEnroe at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, with both hoping to qualify for tomorrow's semi-finals.
Just down the Thames from the security services' riverside headquarters, Murray is showing all the mental fortitude and resilience of an MI5 operative.
In the last days of the tennis year, Murray's willpower isn't in doubt. Anyone who watched Murray's victory over Nishikori on Wednesday - all three hours and 20 minutes of it - can't possibly have any concerns about the Briton's mind. He can be excused a few sarcastic reactions to his errors as his mind never wandered off from what he needed to be doing. But what isn't clear is how Murray's body will respond after what was the longest best-of-three-sets match in the tournament's history. Perhaps, after all the ice baths and other treatment that the Wimbledon champion will have before playing Wawrinka, it will come back to Murray's strength of character.
How badly does Murray want to be the first Briton to win the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals? And how badly does he want to hold off Novak Djokovic and finish at the year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings? Will Murray's willpower override any pain and fatigue in his legs? From what we have seen so far, Murray couldn't be any more resolute about what he hopes to achieve before the greatest season of his life comes to an end. As well as a strong mind, Murray has momentum. And lots of it as victory would take his winning streak to 22 matches, equalling the career best streak he put together earlier this year.
For the past three years, Wawrinka has always qualified from his group, but can he be a semi-finalist for a fourth season in succession?
Kei Nishikori, who has hopes of going on to win the biggest title of his career, today plays Marin Cilic in Group John McEnroe at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.
Nishikori doesn't go quietly and he doesn't go quickly. There was the Davis Cup rubber defeat to Andy Murray in Birmingham in March, a five-setter which was just a few minutes short of five hours. And then, on Wednesday, Nishikori was beaten by Murray in three hours and 20 minutes, making it the longest best-of-three-sets match in the history of the season finale.
Nishikori, so full of fight against Murray, mustn't let himself be eaten up by the disappointment of that latest long-form defeat as it's still possible that this week could bring him his greatest high. Should he go through to tomorrow's semi-finals, the Japanese would then be just two match victories away from scoring what would be the biggest title of his tennis life. Two years ago, during a week in which he became the first Asian to feature in the singles field at the season finale, Nishikori made the last four but couldn't go any further as he ran into Novak Djokovic, with that match commanding the attention of more than 10 million television viewers in Japan.
While Nishikori didn't make it out of his group last November, there's scope this week for him to really contend for The Brad Drewett Trophy. This match features the same two players who appeared in the 2014 US Open final, a match Cilic won to scoop his first Grand Slam (that was the day that Nishikori made some history by being the first Asian to go so deep into a major singles tournament). If Nishikori were to go on to play for the title, he could draw on the experience of his coach, Michael Chang, a finalist in 1995 when the season finale was played in Frankfurt. But Nishikori would clearly want to improve on how Chang performed that year - he lost to Boris Becker, now Djokovic's coach.
Day 6 Preview
Group John McEnroe action concludes on Friday with two semi-final spots on the line. World No. 1 Andy Murray, No. 3 Stan Wawrinka and No. 5 Kei Nishikori all look to advance to the semi-finals at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. If Murray fails to qualify for the semi-finals, Novak Djokovic will finish 2016 as the World No. 1. See semi-final scenarios below.
In the day session match, Murray and Wawrinka square off for the 17th time (Murray leads 9-7) and Murray won the last meeting in four sets in the semi-finals at Roland Garros on June 3. This is the second straight year they are meeting in the final round robin match at The O2. Last year Wawrinka won 76 64 to advance to the semi-finals for the third straight year. Murray enters on a 21-match winning streak and he has a 2-0 round robin record for the first time since his season finale debut in 2008 Shanghai where he went 3-0 and reached the semi-finals. Murray also reached the semi-finals at The O2 in 2010 and 2012. He must win one set to advance to the semi-finals and keep pace with Djokovic for the year-end No. 1 ranking. With Murray losing 275 points on November 28 from the 2015 Davis Cup final, the Serbian is actually ahead in the race for year-end No. 1. Djokovic, who has 11,380 points on the season, is trying to finish No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the third straight year and fifth time in six years. Murray will have 11,510 points if he beats the Swiss No. 1. Wawrinka is looking for his fourth career win over a World No. 1, the first outside a Grand Slam final. He is 3-0 vs. World No. 1s in Slam finals and 0-19 otherwise. Milos Raonic leads the race to finish No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings with 5,450 points followed by Wawrinka (5,315) and Nishikori (4,905). All three players are trying to finish No. 3 for the first time.
In the evening session, Nishikori brings a 7-5 FedEx ATP Head 2 Head record against Marin Cilic although the Croat has won the last two meetings this season. They last met in the final of Basel on Oct. 30 with Cilic winning 61 76. Cilic is trying to earn his first ATP Finals match win (0-5).He went 0-3 in his debut two years ago. If Nishikori wins, he will advance to the semi-finals for the second time in three years. Nishikori could also advance to the semi-finals if he loses and Murray defeats Wawrinka.
Group Fleming/McEnroe Semi-finals Qualification Scenarios (Friday)
1) Regardless of score, if A. MURRAY defeats S. WAWRINKA and K. NISHIKORI defeats M. CILIC, then A. MURRAY wins the group and K. NISHIKORI qualifies 2nd.
2) Regardless of score, if A. MURRAY defeats S. WAWRINKA and M. CILIC defeats K. NISHIKORI, then A. MURRAY wins the group and K. NISHIKORI qualifies 2nd.
3) Regardless of score, if S. WAWRINKA defeats A. MURRAY and M. CILIC defeats K. NISHIKORI, then S. WAWRINKA wins the group and A. MURRAY qualifies 2nd.
4) If S. WAWRINKA defeats A. MURRAY in 2 sets and K. NISHIKORI defeats M. CILIC in 2 sets, then K. NISHIKORI wins the group and S. WAWRINKA qualifies 2nd.
5) If S. WAWRINKA defeats A. MURRAY in 2 sets and K. NISHIKORI defeats M. CILIC in 3 sets, then S. WAWRINKA wins the group and K. NISHIKORI qualifies 2nd.
6) If S. WAWRINKA defeats A. MURRAY in 3 sets and K. NISHIKORI defeats M. CILIC in 2 sets, then K. NISHIKORI wins the group and A. MURRAY qualifies 2nd.
7) If S. WAWRINKA defeats A. MURRAY in 3 sets and K. NISHIKORI defeats M. CILIC in 3 sets, then A. MURRAY wins the group and K. NISHIKORI qualifies 2nd.
In the opening Group Fleming/McEnroe doubles match, No. 1 Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut take on No. 5 Henri Kontinen and John Peers for the third time (tied 1-1). Kontinen and Peers, who have clinched the group with a 2-0 record, enter on a seven-match winning streak after winning their biggest career title at ATP Masters 1000 Paris where they defeated Herbert/Mahut 64 36 10-6 on Nov. 6. They have beaten all 7 other Barclays ATP World Tour Finals teams in 2016 (6 since Oct. 14). The Frenchmen, who have been eliminated from semi-final contention, need a win to overtake Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares in the Emirates ATP Doubles Team Rankings. Murray and Soares lead by 25 points after going 3-0 in group play. With a win, Mahut would also clinch year-end No. 1 in the individual Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings. If Mahut loses and Soares wins the title, the Brazilian will finish No. 1. In the evening match, No. 4 Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez meet No. 7 Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram, who won the previous meeting at ATP Masters 1000 Madrid in May. The winner of this match will qualify into the semi-finals as the second place team.
Group Fleming/McEnroe Semi-finals Qualification Scenarios (Friday)
1) Regardless of score, KONTINEN / J. PEERS win the group and the winner of R. KLAASEN / R. RAM and F. LOPEZ / M. LOPEZ qualify 2nd.