The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals welcomed its 2 millionth fan through the doors of The O2 arena in London Friday night as the tournament prepared for the potential celebration of the most dramatic final weekend in its 47-year history.
Sacha Boyne Hogan, who resides three hours north of London in Hull, was identified as the lucky 2 millionth fan just prior to the start of the second set of Kei Nishikori’s evening match with Marin Cilic. Sacha will attend Sunday’s final as a guest of the tournament and will meet the champion.
It promises to be a dramatic weekend. Great Britain’s Andy Murray and five-time tournament champion Novak Djokovic will battle for the coveted year-end No. 1 Emirates ATP Ranking. The No. 1 spot could be decided Saturday depending on semi-final results. If Murray and Djokovic both advance to Sunday’s title match, it will be the first time in tournament history that the final match of the season determines the year-end World No. 1.
Delayed trains threatened to ruin Sacha’s day out at the tennis with her partner James. The couple arrived just in time for Andy Murray’s straight-sets triumph against Stan Wawrinka on Friday afternoon but their fortunes quickly changed at The O2 arena.
Nishikori clinched the opening set and then the lights dimmed in the stands, with a single beam singling out the couple. Cameras posted live footage of their winning moment on the big screens: “We looked up and didn’t think it was us. It’s absolutely amazing, thanks!”
Sacha, a tech company analyst, claimed Sunday’s plans will certainly be altered so that they can return for the final, but was shocked to be the prize winner. “I never win anything, this is a pretty good first,” said Sacha. “It’s an amazing tournament, the atmosphere is really good.”
James and Sacha are big tennis fans and previously visited the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals back in 2012 to see Juan Martin del Potro take on David Ferrer. “I tend to watch it and follow it more on TV but I have been here before and would like to make this more of a regular visit,” added Sacha.
The couple named del Potro and Rafael Nadal as their ATP World Tour favourites but Sacha is excited by the potential Sunday line-ups. “A Murray versus Djokovic final would be perfect but I do like (Milos) Raonic as well.
“Either way I’m glad Murray reached No. 1. It’s good that someone finally toppled Djokovic off the No. 1 spot.”
Featuring only the best eight singles players and doubles teams of each season, the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals since 2009 have been domiciled in London, where they will remain through at least 2018. The prestigious tournament has been contested in major cities around the world with a rich history dating back to the birth of The Masters in 1970 in Tokyo. Since 2000 the event has taken place in cities such as Lisbon, Sydney, and Shanghai.