A sublime Roger Federer defeated Novak Djokovic in the last round robin match of the Bjorn Borg Group and qualified for his sixteenth ATP Finals semifinals. The victory has an immediate benefit effect for Rafael Nadal , who is guaranteed to conclude the season as number 1 regardless of his becoming in the tournament. [Narration and statistics: 6-4, 6-3]

The Spaniard, who needs to win Tsitsipas on Friday and expect Medvedev to beat Zverev in the night duel to be in the semifinals, has already finished at the top in 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2017. If he does, he will have Federer as adversary.

Again in London, four months after his penultimate appointment, also in the British capital. Now in the O2, indoors. Then on the grass of the All England Club, nothing less than in the Wimbledon final. Traumatic outcome for Roger Federer, who had two balls to win the tournament for the ninth time and climb to the 21 Grand Slam titles.

This Thursday, in episode number 50 of one of the great classics of always. Djokovic hesitates with the service: three double fouls in the first two serve shifts and Federer who goes bankrupt in the third game. It is a group stage match, a duel for survival, but it has the well-earned unique event vitola. The grandstand knows it, full, complicit in the vertiginous start of the Swiss, surprised by the vulnerability of Nole .

They add 11 titles in the ATP Finals, the tournament that brings together the eight most outstanding players of the course. Six won Federer, who comes for the seventeenth time at the closing tournament. The one in Basel is electric, immaculate in the first set, which he endorses with a superlative display of service and anticipation. He would easily pass by the boy who graduated from the first cup in 2003. Djokovic is not fine. He has not been since he retired due to injury in the knockout stages of the US Open when he lost to Wawrinka.

He has a hard time chaining two good games. It lacks the authority with which it governed the circuit in two sweeping periods. Escape from a delicate situation: set down and 15-40 with his serve at the start of the second set, he immediately has a chance to re-engage in the game, but returns to deliver his service and is 3-2 and the rest is disadvantaged .

Federer does not yield. It is difficult to stop him when he is in a trance. Twenty-two winning shots. Six unforced errors. Understandable the leap of joy to the conclusion. Like happiness in his box , with Stefan Edeberg, who was his coach, as a special guest. The triumph has a vindictive aroma after the trauma of Wimbledon. Federer is still very alive. At 38 he can still play as only the elect do.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Novak Djokovic
  • Rafael Nadal
  • Wimbledon

ATP FinalsMassage and the Indiba method: Rafa Nadal's treatment for playing in London

TenisNadal maintains its firmness against Tsonga and is already in the semifinals

TennisNadal, in the Medvedev, Zverev and Tsitsipas Group