Summary
Well after a promising start from Berdych, where he raced into a 2-0 lead in the first set, he made error after error and gifted Federer the match, who never needed to get out of second gear. That said, there were some delightful drop shots from the Swiss maestro: Berdych didn’t have the anticipation or the legs to deal with Federer’s vision.
Berdych has lost every one of his six opening matches at the ATP Tour Finals over the years, but he’s won every one of his second matches, so he’ll be hoping to continue that trend: the Czech faces Nishikori and Federer will play Djokovic on Tuesday. What a match that could be.
We end the GBG the same way that we finished: with the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, which is awarded to Federer by his coach Stefan Edberg. He also picks up the WTA.com Fans Favourite award, which is the 13th year in a row he has won the award. 13th year!
Congratulations! 🏆🏆 Roger Federer receives Sportsmanship & Fans' Favourite Awards: "I enjoy getting awards." pic.twitter.com/FJpxvxA9iI
— Tennis Photos (@tennis_photos) November 15, 2015
“I hope to see you next year, and the following year, and the following year.” Federer says as he collects his two accolades out on court. He will be 37 if that is that statement proves to be true.
Another win, another award, just another day for Roger. Thanks for reading, see you next time. Bye!
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FEDERER WINS THE SECOND SET AND THE MATCH: 6-4, 6-2
Federer gets his game off to a bad start, firing down his fourth double-fault of the match. But it’s back to business, sending three bombs out wide. Berdych has no reply to any of them. 40-15. At match point down, Berdych then plays a beautiful volley/drop shot combination – why is he playing his best stuff at this point. Perhaps because the pressure is off. Another wide serve and Berdych is finished off, Federer wins!
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Federer 5-2 Berdych* (* denotes server of game)
Federer is taking the mickey now, taking a Berdych second serve on his own service line. He seems pretty non-plussed that Berdych is playing his best tennis of the match, smashing a forehand right into the bottom left corner of Federer’s court. Berdych wins the game to love, but Federer simply shrugs, and trots off to his chair to prepare for what is almost certainly his final service game.
There is a loose plastic bag on the court! It is the most beautiful thing that has ever been filmed.
Federer* 5-1 Berdych (* denotes server of game)
Signs of life from Berdych! He clambers to 30-30 with a sumptuous return, leaning on a rare (at least in this second set) second serve to punch his shot up the line. But it’s still not enough, Federer moving to within one game of the match with a trademark backhand cross court winner. Woof.
“Do you think that Fed can beat Djokovic over five sets next year if Djokovic continues to play like he has this year?” emails Vishvesh Vikram
No, I can’t see that happening. The notion of Federer winning another slam is a nice one, but it would have to be within three sets. Roger has got to win the first one or two sets and see the match out early if he has got a chance against Djokovic. If it goes to five, there is only one winner – Federer simply can’t compete on the same physical level when it goes past three or four sets. Djokovic is a freak.
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Federer 4-1 Berdych* (* denotes server of game)
“Stop it,” murmurs the commentator, as Federer conjures another drop shot from well behind the baseline to leave Berdych looking to the sky/O2 roof in despair. Berdych unloads two big serves in anger to get back to 30-30 and two rare Federer errors gives the Czech his first game in eight attempts. The comeback is on!*
*The comeback is not back on.
Federer* 4-0 Berdych (* denotes server of game)
We were hoping for a more competitive match than Djokovic v Nishikori but that doesn’t appear to be on the cards. Federer’s drop-shot tactic of ‘Make Tomas run’ seems be working. Two more deft touches has Berdych scrambling to the net, efforts all in vain. Quick as a flash the game is over, Federer winning it to love.
Federer 3-0 Berdych* (* denotes server of game)
The crowd are trying to urge Berdych on – they want more tennis – and Berdych hits his first forehand winner in what seems like 75,072 points. It looks like he is really struggling to gauge the pace of the deep-blue court, which is running quite slow. Federer seems content to keep his shots low, slicing this way and that way, to make Berdych crouch and strain for every ball. The Sweaty One gets to deuce, but faces another break point after more Federer mastery at the back of the court, and is powerless to prevent him taking his sixth game in a row. This could be over in a matter of minutes.
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Federer* 2-0 Berdych (* denotes server of game)
Federer is starting to get his protractor out, angling forehand winners left and right beyond Berdych’s despairing dives. Federer races into a 30-0 lead and two more Berdych errors allows Federer to cruise into a 2-0 lead.
Federer 1-0 Berdych* (* denotes server of game)
Berdych has to play his very best tennis to beat Federer, and after a good start, he’s playing close to his worst. Can he get his head together? Probably doesn’t help when Federer is playing outrageous drop shots off your serve. Absolutely filth – 15-15. Federer then wins the best point of the match, showing his steely side to defend Berdych’s forehand advances, then lobbing the 6ft4in Czech, and finishing the point with a cool volley. Federer earns yet another break point with yet another drop shot and an error gives the Swiss an early break here in the second set.
FEDERER WINS THE FIRST SET 6-4
Federer* 6-4 Berdych (* denotes server of game)
When Federer serves wide, Federer wins. Berdych can’t return Federer’s first serve, then watches helplessly as another sails past him for an ace. 30-0. Another ace. Ouch. Berdych shows his class to pass Federer at set point but makes another terrible unforced error as Federer takes the first set. He has not played anywhere near his best, but Feds is half-way there.
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Federer 5-4 Berdych* (* denotes server of game)
Berdych is starting to loss his way here: three unforced errors allow Federer the chance to serve for the set. You can understand Berdych’s reasoning here – he has to be aggressive – but the execution is poor, twice he comes in from the baseline but sends his shot only half way up the net.
Federer* 4-4 Berdych (* denotes server of game)
Federer has changed his racket and has the new ball, hopefully his serving will be transformed: only one game so far has been in control. Federer gets up and running with a sweet forehand that curls just inside the tramline and gets to 40-15 before an ill-advised serve-and-volley allows Berdych to welly the ball back at him, bodyline-style. Another supreme Federer forehand, this time cross-court, is enough to tie the set at 4-4.
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Federer 3-4 Berdych* (* denotes server of game)
Roger is itching to get forward, often taking the ball well within the baseline and as a result is bossing the rallies. But he can’t seem to hit the lines, and Berdych’s power from the back of the court is forcing errors from the Swiss. Berdych sees off Federer with a mean second serve that kicks a full six feet in the air: Federer had to take that ball at head height (!) and was unable to make Berdych play another shot.
Federer* 3-3 Berdych (* denotes server of game)
Berdych is sweating like a turkey at Christmas, his perspiration is all over the court, and the umpire instructs a ballgirl to fetch a towl and mop it up. Federer, who doesn’t have sweat glands, still looks fresh as a daisy. Standard. Not even a hair out of place. Some sloppy errors from both players and another Federer double-fault helps the Czech get to deuce. Berdych is a tad unlucky to see a net cord fall his way, and then cannot return a Federer serve down the middle.
Federer 2-3 Berdych* (* denotes server of game)
Both players are finally finding their depth, both players’ forehands in particular are hitting around the baseline, where before they were flirting with the service line. We have our first high-quality rally of the match, with Berdych eventually whacking one into the net after 20 strokes or so. Berdych has an absolute howler, sending an easy forehand long, to gift Federer a 40-15 lead. Berdych serves an ace, and reads Federer’s second-serve drop shot return to get to deuce and sees out the game with another ace to keep the first set on serve.
Federer* 2-2 Berdych (* denotes server of game)
Three perfectly-placed wide serves mean that Berdych cannot regain court position and Federer despatches a combination of winners to level the scores, winning the game to love. Of the top eight players in London, Berdych’s mobility is arguably the worst. You could argue that Federer (at age 34) moves better than him!
Federer 1-2 Berdych* (* denotes server of game)
Twice Berdych has come to the net, and twice he has looked exposed. Federer is a player that always looks as though he’s not rushed, and he buries a forehand to the feet of Berdych, who can only half-volley long. Federer races to a 40-0 lead before a cute drop volley takes Berdych completely by surprise: the Czech slipping and unable to reach the ball. Federer breaks back.
Federer* 0-2 Berdych (* denotes server of game)
A crafty return from Berdych and two double fault from Federer has the World No3 40-0 down in his first service game. Berdych smells blood and takes Federer’s second serve early on break point, forcing another error. This is not part of the script Rog! The crowd are eerily quiet.
Federer 0-1 Berdych* (* denotes server of game)
If Berdych is to win this, he’s have to make the most of his potent serve: and start well he does, with an ace out wide, before powering one down the middle to get to 40-15. He closes out the first game easily enough. It will be interesting to see if the Czech uses the serve-and-volley at all. It’s a fairly slow court at the O2 and Berdych won’t want to get into too many prolonged baseline rallies with Feds.
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Here we go, Berdych to serve!
Interesting stat regarding Federer: since changing his racket in 2013 (which has a much larger racket head surface area), he’s taking the ball a full half metre closer to the baseline at the back of the court!
I’ve just heard this song echoing around the O2 arena: Jai Paul – Jasmine. One of the best in recent years, for my money.
The players are out: Federer emerges dressed in all-navy, complete with his customary headband, whilst Berdych is in a grey emsemble, with a hint of pink. Spicy. Berdych wins the toss, he will serve first.
Berdych is 6-14 in his head-to-head record with Federer. That’s not bad – he’s probably the best player out there currently that hasn’t won a grand slam.
His most surprising victory over Federer was his first, coming in the 2004 Olympics when the then unseeded 18-year-old Berdych, ranked 74th in the world, beat the World No1 Swiss in the second round.
“David Ferrer”, correctly answers Vishvesh Vikram. You could have also had Nadal or Kevin Anderson. Have yourself a celebratory drink Vishvesh.
Can we all establish that the pub near where I live has flooded and there's 2 guys drinking a pint like nouts wrong pic.twitter.com/bjvbQn8iSZ
— Marlsberg (@MarleyAJMegeary) November 15, 2015
After a poor first half of the year, Berdych is playing close to his best tennis right now. Last month he won the Shenzhen Open and the Stockholm Open and he finally seems to be adapting to the new techniques employed by his coach Dani Vallverdu, who was appointed in December 2014.
The preparation before the matches, the tactics, the strategy is completely different than I was used to. We’ve made improvements all year,” Berdych explained. “Even so, the year is very difficult to manage because you don’t really get that much time off in the offseason to try to work on new things. You try to add those things during the year in between the tournaments. But many things are different and working well. My game is improving.
Can you guess who else was nominated for the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship award alongside Roger Federer? There are three names, I will give you brownie points if you can name one.
Answers on a postcard to michael.butler@theguardian.com or via Twitter @michaelbutler18
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Preamble
How many times do you think Roger Federer has been voted as the most sportsmanlike player on the ATP Tour? There are hundreds of players on the Tour, remember. Two? Three at a stretch?
This week, Feds was awarded the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship award – voted for by fellow players, it honours conduct towards the game in general, opponents, the umpire, and the crowd – for the 11th time in the last 12 years. That’s some going, and might go some way to explaining why, as well as being the most successful player of all time, he remains the most loved, by fans and players alike.
Wherever Federer seems to go, it seems like he is playing at home, such is the level of support for the 34-year-old. In London, where he has won seven Wimbledon championships and where the adulation for those curly locks and his silky one-handed backhand knows no bounds, this support reaches fever pitch.
Every year that Federer plays at the end-of-year O2 spectacular, there are fears that this might be the last time we see him play at this level. And then the Swiss carries on anyway: his victory over Rafael Nadal in the Swiss Indoors in Basel earlier this month was his sixth title this year.
If Federer does have one weakness, it is probably to the big servers: last week he crashed out in the third round at the Paris Masters to 6ft8in John Isner, who walloped 27 aces past our beloved Fed. Tonight he faces Tomas Berdych, four inches shorter than Isner, but just as potent with the ball in hand.
Federer must have his wits about him tonight then. He can’t afford to slip up, being in the same pool – the ‘Stan Smith Group’ – as Novak Djokovic, who ominously defeated Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-1 earlier today in just over an hour. Only the top two can progress to the semi finals in this round-robin format.
Make no mistake, IT’S ON.
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