“This tournament has a great champion, like Nikolay. He worked hard to beat every player here this week. So maybe I have to improve a little bit the little things. But he played much better than me, and that's it. He played unbelievable tennis. He beat me in a good way. He's very strong. I never beat him on hard court or indoors. He's very fast. He plays like PlayStation. He runs down everything. It is very difficult to hit winners. But I think he is a great champion. Nobody knows how we can beat him.”--Juan Martin del Potro

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Nikolay Davydenko of Russia holds the trophy as he celebrates winning the men's singles final match against Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina during the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena on November 29, 2009 in London, England.

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He beat the world No's 1, 2 and 34, as well as the US Open champ in the final. Nice work if you can get it.

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Bob Bryan of USA and Mike Bryan hold the trophy as they celebrate winning the men's doubles final match against Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Andy Ram of Israel during the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena on November 29, 2009 in London, England. With the title, the twins clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking for the fifth time in their storied career.

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The one who defeated Roger Federer en route to this final should take the title.

Oh, wait. They both did that.

Okay. So. The one who returns serve most aggressively should take the title. Nikolay Davydenko, who returns to his second year-end final in a row, is capable of serving into the corners when you least expect him. But Juan Martín del Potro won't be as frustrated by the Russian's delivery as he was by the Swede's so he should find himself with more looks to break through. But Kolya returns serve about as well as anyone, leads their head-to-head 2-1 with both victories on indoor hard courts, and gave the reigning US Open champion quite a shellacking at this event last year. Still, the Tower of Tandil is a different player now than he was a year ago.

I've no doubt both of them can hoist the tour's final 2009 trophy, so I'll take another third-set breaker, a tub of popcorn, and may the most composed man win.

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Group A has the advantage. Roger Federer and Juan Martín del Potro had a day off, Robin Soderling and Nikolay Davydenko did not.

The Russian has the shortest turnaround and the worst record of all against his opponent. I still don't understand why Kolya hasn't been able to defeat the world No. 1 even once. They have played tight sets, but Kolya always manages to find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I'm not sure Raja will be in any mood to even allow him to get close today. I'll be surprised if the Swiss doesn't win in straights.


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I, for one, am going to thoroughly enjoy watching the Rude Power boys duke it out. They've split their only two meetings with the Argentinean winning their only match in 2009. But that was way back in Auckland, which seems like a lifetime ago. The Swede won a set last night to avoid facing Raja in this round, so let's see what he has left to bring against del Potro. I see a third set breaker. Bring on the popcorn.


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Day 7 - Semifinals Order Of Play

Day Session: 12.30 pm GMT (7.30 am ET)

Mirnyi/Ram vs. Cermak/Mertinak

Followed by
[1] Roger Federer vs. [6] Nikolay Davydenko

Night Session: 7 pm GMT (2 pm ET)

Bhupathi/Knowles vs. Bryan/Bryan

Followed by
[8] Robin Söderling vs. [5] Juan Martín del Potro

There should be no night session for the semifinals. In both singles and doubles, it gives the day-session winners an advantage they don't need heading into the finals tomorrow.

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Novak Djokovic of Serbia strums his racquet face like a guitar after winning his ATP World Tour Finals tennis match at the 02 Arena against Rafael Nadal of Spain in London November 27, 2009. It wasn't enough. The defending champion was eliminated from the event a few minutes ago.

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Argentina and Manchester City soccer player Carlos Tevez watches compatriot Juan Martín Del Potro take on Switzerland's Roger Federer during their ATP World Tour Finals tennis match at the 02 Arena in London November 26, 2009.

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Day 6 Round Robin Order Of Play

Day Session: 12.30 pm GMT (7.30 am ET)

Dlouhy/Paes vs. Mirnyi/Ram

Followed by
[2] Rafael Nadal vs. [3] Novak Djokovic

Rafa is playing for pride. And his No. 2 ranking. If Djoke wins the title, he can replace the Spaniard as second best. Djoke can lose the match and still advance, but he'll need Kolya to lose as well.

I think.

Night Session: 7 pm GMT (2 pm ET)

Bryan/Bryan vs. Kubot/Marach

Followed by
[6] Nikoloay Davydenko vs. [8] Robin Söderling

Can Andy Roddick's substitute win the title as he did in 2005? Stay tuned.

Yesterday's Results


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Group A Singles
A Murray (GBR) d F Verdasco (ESP) 64 67(4) 76(3)
J Del Potro (ARG) d R Federer (SUI) 62 67(5) 63

Matches don't get much tighter than these.

If you're a fan of Murray, you're not coming up from under today. First time ever a player is eliminated in a round robin tiebreak decided by number of games won.

Guess he had a brutal draw after all.

Group A Doubles
D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB) d M Bhupathi (IND) / M Knowles (BAH) 64 76(9)
F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) d M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) 64 64

Group A Final Standings

Singles
(1) Roger Federer 2-1 - Wins group with 44-40 games record
(5) Juan Martin del Potro 2-1 - Advances with a 45-43 record

(4) Andy Murray 2-1 - Eliminated by one game with 44-43 record
(7) Fernando Verdasco 0-3 - Eliminated after loss to Murray

Doubles
(3) Mahesh Bhupati/Mark Knowles 2-1
(5) Frantisek Cermak/Michal Mertinak 2-1

(8) Mariusz Fyrstenberg/Marcin Matkowski 1-2
(1) Daniel Nestor/Nenad Zimonjic 1-2

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Britain's Andy Murray reacts during his ATP World Tour Finals tennis match against Spain's Fernando Verdasco at the 02 Arena in London November 26, 2009.

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One game. Eliminated from the event by just one game. He must be spitting bullets.

Happy Thanksgiving to those who observe it today.

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Raja has clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking, but he could still be eliminated if the US Open champion defeats him in straight sets and if the Scot defeats the Spaniard in straights. At least that's what Jimmy Arias said yesterday.


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Round Robin Day 5 Order Of Play

Center Court - 12:30 PM Start

Nestor/Zimonjic vs. Bhupathi/Knowles

Followed By
[4] Andy Murray vs. [7] Fernando Verdasco

At 7pm
Cermak/Mertinak vs Fyrstenberg/Matkowski

Followed By
[1] Roger Federer vs. [5] Juan Martín del Potro

Yesterday's Results


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Group B Singles
R Soderling (SWE) d N Djokovic (SRB) 76(5) 61
N Davydenko (RUS) d R Nadal (ESP) 61 76(4)

Robin played well, but Djoke was beyond tired. The second set was a capitulation. The more the lithe Serb misfired, the better the lumbering Swede scrambled about the court.

Kolya never really let Rafa in the match and when he did, the former world No. 1 didn't really know what to make of the opportunity. The first man eliminated (?), Rafa can return to Mallorca and start getting ready for next season. Yeah. I'm suggesting he skip Davis Cup.

Group B Doubles
B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) d L Dlouhy (CZE) / L Paes (IND) 63 64
L Kubot (POL) / O Marach (AUT) d M Mirnyi (BLR) / A Ram (ISR) 46 64 16-14 - saved 3 M.P.

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"It's great. Top eight, top nine guys in the world here. I mean, I won two matches in straight sets against the World No. 2 and No. 3. I couldn't have asked for anything more. So far I'm enjoying it a lot. But there's still at least two more matches to go. I hope to do really well in those two, as well."--Robin Söderling, on becoming the first player to qualify for the semifinals

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U.S.'s Andy Roddick, left, with Chief Executive Officer of Lacoste, Christophe Chenut after he announced his renewal of his sponsoring contract with Lacoste in a press conference during the ATP World Tour Finals tennis match at the 02 Arena in London, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009. Roddick qualified for but pulled out of the ATP World Tour Finals due to an injury.

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Round Robin Day 4 Order Of Play

Center Court - 12:30 PM Start

Kubot/Marach vs Mirnyi/Ram

Followed By
[3]Novak Djokovic vs. [8]Robin Söderling

At 7pm
Bryan/Bryan vs. Dlouhy/Paes

Followed By
[2]Rafael Nadal vs. [6]Nikolay Davydenko

Yesterday's Results

Group A Singles
R Federer (SUI) d A Murray (GBR) 36 63 61
J del Potro (ARG) d F Verdasco (ESP) 64 36 76(1)

Raja finally beat the Scot from a set down and secured the year-end No. 1 ranking. He also proved that he wasn't exactly showing his ass when he claimed that the outcome of this match-up depends more on him than his opponent. The encounter featured some great shotmaking but I imagine the final set wouldn't have been so lopsided if Murray wasn't in such visible physical discomfort.

The US Open champ is still alive.


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Czech Republuc's Frantisek Cermak, left, and Slovakia's Michal Mertinak celebrate after winning their ATP World Tour Finals tennis match against Canada's Daniel Nestor and Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic at the O2 Arena in London, Tuesday Nov. 24, 2009.

Group A Doubles
F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) d D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB) 63 64
M Bhupathi (IND) / M Knowles (BAH) d M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) 36 63 10-7