Week 46 - ATP Tour Finals - London, UK

wolf · Tennis legend

Week 46 - ATP Tour Finals - London, UK

goldfish · Futures qualifying

GROUPS

Singles - Group Stan Smith

[1] N Djokovic (SRB)
[3] R Federer (SUI)
[6] T Berdych (CZE)
[8] K Nishikori (JPN)

Singles - Group Ilie Nastase

[2] A Murray (GBR)
[4] S Wawrinka (SUI)
[5] R Nadal (ESP)
[7] D Ferrer (ESP)

Doubles - Group Ashe/Smith

[1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA)
[4] J Murray (GBR) / J Peers (AUS)
[5] S Bolelli (ITA) / F Fognini (ITA)
[8] R Bopanna (IND) / F Mergea (ROU)

Doubles - Group Fleming/McEnroe

[2] J Rojer (NED) / H Tecau (ROU)
[3] I Dodig (CRO) / M Melo (BRA)
[6] P Herbert (FRA) / N Mahut (FRA)
[7] M Matkowski (POL) / N Zimonjic (SRB)

Ratty · County player

"Group Ilie Nastase", WTF!!!!

He was undoubtedly a talented player, but he was also a thoroughly unpleasant narcissist and bully.

Ratty · County player

I just had a look at the tournament website, and there's loads of tickets still available for every session, including the final. It used to be the hottest ticket in town, selling out months in advance.

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Maybe because they're doing a retro thing; Smith and Nastase more or less dominated the year-end championships between them in the early years 1970/75

Spectator · All-time great

Yes, they named the first singles and doubles groups after the winners of the first finals in 1970 and the second after the winners of multiple finals in the 70s. There's an article about it on the ATP website.

Whatever the rationale, I am in agreement with Ratty: it's unfortunate to start by celebrating someone whose behaviour was so unpleasant.

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Well J&J open with a win downing the Italians in a tight MTB

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Terrific stuff under pressure.

TMH · Futures qualifying

Saved at least one match point there too. Pretty tense stuff at the end, great to see him pull out the win.

thejester · Satellite level

I don't think they were actually match point down but they certainly had to recover a mini-break at the business end of that MTB. It was bloody tense stuff, really glad they were able to come through that one. How great would it be to see them end their partnership on a high at the o2?!

indiana · Tennis legend

Would be great and a bit bizarre if they go and win the thing.

But love to see it. Good start

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

For the record:

(4) Jamie Murray & John Peers (AUS) CR 15 (7+8) defeated (5) Simone Bolelli & Fabio Fognini (ITA/ITA) CR 20 (11+9) by 7-6(7) 3-6 [11-9] smile

thejester · Satellite level

Also not relevant to the GB crowd (yet) but Novak just mullered Nishikori 1 and 1, losing 9 service pts in the process. Good luck to anyone getting anywhere near him!

TMH · Futures qualifying

thejester wrote:
I don't think they were actually match point down but they certainly had to recover a mini-break at the business end of that MTB. It was bloody tense stuff, really glad they were able to come through that one. How great would it be to see them end their partnership on a high at the o2?!

You know what it is? I completely forgot they were playing to 10. I thought each point after 6-5 was a match point that each team kept on saving until the one at 10-9. Turns out that was merely the second MP. Ha.

TMH · Futures qualifying

thejester wrote:
Also not relevant to the GB crowd (yet) but Novak just mullered Nishikori 1 and 1, losing 9 service pts in the process. Good luck to anyone getting anywhere near him!

Interestingly Murray 'beat' him 5-2 in a recent warm-up match where apparently both were treating it, ahem, a bit more seriously than a mere warm-up. Has no relevance on anything really but I found it interesting nonetheless.