2015 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals…ATP 1500...London, England

[klacr]

Good to see Federer win. Exercised a few demons perhaps. But it's round robin play. Djokovic is not out or dead yet. Feerer even looked a bit suprised that he won the match. Djokovic was charitable in this match. Many unforced errors and serious lapses of concentration. We all have bad days and to be honest, it was nice to see Djokovic look human.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

Been on court all day. Missed both Berdych and Federer matches

They are replaying the Fed-Novak one right now. Looking forward to watching it.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Great win for Federer. Typical that I managed to miss it! Why am I always working when Federer beats Djokovic? When I do manage to watch their matches Djokovic always wins...weird. Next time they play in a grand slam final I better make sure I am out working.

[don_budge]

Under the Circumstances...

WOEFUL!

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Under the circumstances any performance at all by any of these guys was truly remarkable. I cannot even begin to fantom what kind of pressure they were under after the events of Friday the 13th.

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer showed why they are the best players in the world. In spite of everything that was surrounding them they came up with the goods.

You have no idea what Europe is feeling like today. London must be pins and needles. As far as Nishikori and Berdych go…they just sort of succumbed to nerves and the occasion. Berdych actually came out and gave a game performance…considering the circumstances. I have to say the I really admire him because I know how tough it was to face Roger last night.

Roger was a bit shaky in the beginning. I saw the interview with Leif Shiras before the match and he seemed really tight. The conditions last night were unlike anything any of these guys had ever experienced. They were in uncharted waters. As we all are.

God bless 'em.

[klacr]

Dreadful first set from both players. Never seen Federer with so little feel in those opening seven games. Came good in the end to clinch round one. Berdych has been woeful so far....

WOEFUL!

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Berdych serving…swing volley hit into the net. 0-30. He then blows two sitter forehands for the break. 5-4, Federer serving for the set.

Dreadful first set from both players. Never seen Federer with so little feel in those opening seven games. Came good in the end to clinch round one. Berdych has been woeful so far....

[don_budge]

4-4, love 15

Berdych serving…swing volley hit into the net. 0-30. He then blows two sitter forehands for the break. 5-4, Federer serving for the set.

[stotty]

Given the events of Friday the 13th in Paris…do you think that there are any extra security precautions in London? These are strange days…aren't they?

The police are on high alert, as you would expect. Security is tight in England. Plus we have the huge benefit of being an island.

How dull was Djokovic v Nishikori? I switched over at 6-1 1-0...my son wanted to watch Harry Potter. I am getting deeply concerned that pretty soon Djokovic won't have an opponent.

Maybe the top eight should break away and start their own tour? History could repeat itself. It would be like Kramer, Segura, Schroeder and co. all over again....

[klacr]

Djokovic defeats Nishikori 6-1, 6-1 in first match. Old school beatdown behind the woodshed. Domination. Questions regarding Nishikori fitness level coming into London, but that's not Djokovic's fault.

Berdych vs. Federer coming up. I love Roger and always root for him, unless it's this situation. I have to be loyal to my horse. Go Berdych.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

A mere whimsical thought…about the modern world

Last year I was sitting in this cafe in Paris at this time and this beautiful woman and her man were eating next to the Ugly American and I. This Dutch dude was at our table too. He had ridden down to Paris from Amsterdam on the same train as us and was staying at the same hotel as we were. It was right down the street from the Arc d'Triumph. Somehow he ended up in the room that we originally were going to stay in. Instead we got a balcony view of the Arc…down the Champs Elysses. Still…somehow our journeys were connected.

http://www.grayline.com/tours/paris/dinner-on-the-champs-elysees-seine-river-cruise-and-illuminations-night-tour-5875_25/

The little cafe was Italian cuisine. The beautiful woman was of Italian descent. She was friends with the owners of the cafe. Her man was a passionate tennis person…my buddy and I had been to Roland Garros during the day. He didn't seem to mind in the least that his beautiful companion was totally engaging with me. He seemed to be sympathetic. I told him about the old guy twirling the wooden tennis racquet on the Roland Garros grounds. I introduced myself as don_budge, an American transplanted in Sweden. I'd seen her walking down the street and she said she had seen me too, we started discussing George Orwell, tennis and over-sized racquets, immigration in Europe, political correctness, love and life…you know, typical conversation for a Paris cafe. The Parisian hour. In the middle of our conversation three machine gun armed soldiers walked right by us. I was like…what the fuck?

"Well", they said…"there have been problems in Paris." Several months later…well you know the rest.

Given the events of Friday the 13th in Paris…do you think that there are any extra security precautions in London? These are strange days…aren't they?

When all traditional values are chucked out the window…things get a bit squirrelly. Just look at what has happened to tennis. Oh I know…multiculturalism (oversized graphite racquets) is the rage these days. I guess that it doesn't matter that for a million years or two that the prevailing rule in the human world was birds of a feather flock together (wooden racquets). Even then there was always a problem waiting to happen.

The chemistries of the big cities in Europe are at their tipping points. Much like the big cities in America 45 years ago or so. All it takes is the catalyst…or the instigator.

[don_budge]

The Top 8 players in the world are set to clash in London.

The groups have been set

Group A (Stan Smith Group)
Djokovic
Federer
Berdych
Nishikori

Group B (Ilie Nastase Group)
Murray
Wawrinka
Nadal
Ferrer

a few notes...
-Group A total World Tour Final titles 10
-Group B total World Tour Final titles 0

-Group A Head to Head vs. Others in Group
Djokovic: 45-25
Federer: 38-29
Berdych: 9-37
Nishikori: 7-8

-Group B Head to Head vs. Others in Group
Murray: 25-27
Wawrinka: 15-28
Nadal: 51-15
Ferrer: 19-40


-Berdych only player in Djokovic group in both 2014 and 2015.
-Murray does not have any of the same players in his group from last year.

London Calling

https://youtu.be/EfK-WX2pa8c

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Great breakdown klacr. Here is the draw. It can get interesting….with the format and all. The semi's seem to have a lot of potential.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/scores/current/barclays-atp-world-tour-finals/605/draws

[klacr]

I began a London World Tour Finals Thread a few days ago thinking that don_budge had slipped up and/or forgotten. Turns out he started one days before me. My apologies
I should have known...don_budge is OTB(On The Ball).

Let's have this one be the #1 thread. I will let the one I started die off and sink into the forum abyss for eternity.
Thanks.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

The Top 8 players in the world are set to clash in London.

The groups have been set

Group A (Stan Smith Group)
Djokovic
Federer
Berdych
Nishikori

Group B (Ilie Nastase Group)
Murray
Wawrinka
Nadal
Ferrer

a few notes...
-Group A total World Tour Final titles 10
-Group B total World Tour Final titles 0

-Group A Head to Head vs. Others in Group
Djokovic: 45-25
Federer: 38-29
Berdych: 9-37
Nishikori: 7-8

-Group B Head to Head vs. Others in Group
Murray: 25-27
Wawrinka: 15-28
Nadal: 51-15
Ferrer: 19-40


-Berdych only player in Djokovic group in both 2014 and 2015.
-Murray does not have any of the same players in his group from last year.

London Calling

https://youtu.be/EfK-WX2pa8c

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Wimbledon 1972, a classic match...

Just for old times sake…1972 Wimbledon men's final. Not that anybody cares or enjoys watching this sort of tennis. Check out the action and the commentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddbyDGVtAnw

Two beautifully rhythmic service motions I might add.

I care a lot. I have watched this match many times. I always felt it was a shame Nastase couldn't settle his nerves that day. He was comfortably the best player in the world at that time. Stan shouldn't have had a chance...but that's tennis for you. It's a lot about holding your nerve in the big moments.

[don_budge]

Stan Smith vs. Ilie Nastase...

Who was the genius that decided to name the two groups the "Stan Smith" and the "Ilie Nastase" group?

Just for old times sake…1972 Wimbledon men's final. Not that anybody cares or enjoys watching this sort of tennis. Check out the action and the commentary.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21vs0p_wimbledon-1972-final-stan-smith-vs-ilie-nastase_shortfilms

I had a difficult time getting the above to work…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddbyDGVtAnw

Two beautifully rhythmic service motions I might add.