With the regular men’s season drawing to a close in Paris this week, the spotlight turns to the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, commencing in the English capital. For the fourth straight year running, London plays host to the game’s biggest stars at the multi-purpose O2 Arena. Catering for a maximum capacity of 20,000, this state-of-the-art complex makes for a fitting venue for this ultimate event. With all the top eight slots finally filled, the stage is set for an exciting end to the 2012 season.
The round-robin format of this event is a welcome departure for the fans from the usual knock-out system of the ATP calendar. Spain’s Rafael Nadal, who has been nursing a knee injury and has been out of action since Wimbledon, is the only notable absentee. As for the rest of the field, it is business as usual. The race for the year-end number one ranking was thrown out of the equation with Federer opting to sit out in Paris, citing fatigue. This means that the Serb, Novak Djokovic will finish the year ranked number one for the second consecutive season.
Federer’s decision to pull out of Paris might have cost him the year-end number one spot but a much needed breather might just be the thing the Swiss was looking for. Ever since his Wimbledon triumph, Federer has remained below-par, with only a title in Cincinnati followed by some lackluster performances. However, the two-time defending champion having qualified for an incredible 11th time, will like his chances indoors, under the quicker conditions.
2008 champion, Novak Djokovic is making his sixth appearance at the year-end championships. Not having got past the semi-finals here at the O2 Arena and getting bundled out at the group stage last year, the Serb has a lot to play for this time around. It has been far from a stellar year for Djokovic in comparison to an immaculate 2011. But he seems to be picking up pace at the right time despite falling short in Paris last week.
Crowd favorite Andy Murray will have the home support on his side. Now that he has finally broken the Grand Slam duck, the Londoners will be hoping for a British win for the first time ever since the event’s induction in 1970. In all of his past four appearances, Murray has not made it past the semi-final stage. Barring the effects of a long and tiring season, the Scot is expected to make some major inroads into the weeklong event.
The feisty Spaniard David Ferrer is one of the hardest working players on the ATP tour. It is a true testament to his grit and consistency that he makes his third straight appearance here at the World Tour Finals, fourth overall. Runner-up in 2007, Ferrer is enjoying the season of his career, with already six titles to his name and on all different surfaces. Despite his iron will, the Spaniard has a mediocre serve and lacks that major weapon so essential in the game today. Not having tasted much success at the big events, it will be interesting to see how Ferrer fares against the likes of Federer, Djokovic and Murray.
Fifth seed Czech Tomas Berdych is the dark horse of the tournament. His big serve and thundering ground strokes will be well suited to the indoor hard courts. Fresh from victory in Stockholm, his second title of the year, Berdych will be looking to improve on his semi-final showing last year.
Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro is another dangerous contender. Winner of four ATP World Tour titles this year and an Olympic bronze medal to his name, Del Potro has qualified for the first time since 2009 when he reached the final. With back to back tournament wins in Vienna and Basel, denying Federer in the final of the latter, Del Potro is the in form player heading into London. On his day, if the Argentine is firing on all cylinders, he can pose a threat to anyone.
France’s Jo Wilfried Tsonga and Serb Janko Tipsareivc were the last ones in. The flamboyant Frenchman made it all the way to the final here last year, while Tipsarevic has qualified out-right for the first time after being placed as an alternate in 2011. The two deservedly earned their place in the season finale after some notable performances throughout the year.
On the doubles’ side, Pakistan’s ace player Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and his Dutch partner Jean-Julien Rojer are making their team debut at the O2 Arena. This will be Aisam’s second appearance at the illustrious event, having qualified with India’s Rohan Bopanna last year. Aisam and Rojer joined forces at the beginning of the season, and since, have come a long way with semi-final finishes at two of the four Grand Slams and already two titles under their belt.
Round-robin action kicks off on Monday and the fans will be treated to some high quality tennis by a strong field. It appears to be a three-way battle for the title between Djokovic, Federer and Murray, but the rest of the line-up will have other ideas. So, with one week left till the off-season, fans and players alike gear up for a thrilling finish to the season.
