Djokovic beats Nadal, advances to final at ATP finals

“Novak for the moment is nearly unbeatable”, Nadal said. “He played a great match against Rafael Nadal earlier today and I’m sure it will be a fantastic meeting”.

“It’s the best season of my life”.

Last year marked a frustrating, stuttering season for the Scot – his least lucrative for six years – but in contrast 2015 has been a personal record-breaking a show of strength.

“But best-of-three is a slightly different situation – it puts a little bit more stress on both of them because the scoreline can go away quickly – a break here or there or missed opportunity, the match can swing very quickly, so adds that little extra bit of pressure actually”.

Djokovic’s shock straight-sets defeat to Federer in the group stages, which snapped his 23-match win streak, looks to have been a mere blip.

The win evened the head-to-record between the two players to 23-23, the first time Djokovic has managed to get level since the rivalry started in 2006.

If the Serb lifts the trophy for a fifth time, he will become the first player to win the Tour Finals four years in a row.

That said, Roger’s one guy that gives Novak problems, so that will be in Djokovic’s head. “Nadal was alongside Federer dominating the tour”.

“Seems like the last month-and-a-half, two months, I was in this league, I am in this top league”.

Djokovic and Nadal were meeting for a 46th time, with many of their previous encounters being gruelling epics full of brutal rallies, but here the Serbian was just too good.

Nadal was able to hold, with a significant battle underlined by a fist pump when he eventually won, and the first four games all went with serve.

This time it was a more routine outing for Federer, who overcame an early loss of service to break twice to take the opening set, before racing into a 3-0 lead in the second set on his way to a comfortable win over a flat, subdued Wawrinka in just 70 minutes.

The 28-year-old broke Nadal’s serve in the second game of the match with four exquisite winners that the Spaniard, one of the sport’s best athletes, could only watch whiz by.

The Swiss player focused on keeping the ball on Murray’s backhand in the next game as Murray surrendered his serve to 15 after a backhand floated over the baseline for the Scot. With Wawrinka serving for the set Murray did fantastically well to stay with the Swiss as he passed him at the net after a few awesome defence which meant he was back on serve. “When somebody’s doing like this, the only thing I can do is congratulate him and [smiling] just wish not the best of luck for the next year”.

He has been reinvigorated and his confidence renewed in London.

Wawrinka has enjoyed a remarkable late-career rise, winning two Grand Slam titles including this year’s French Open, and this was another masterful display from the 30-year-old.

By sweeping his group, Nadal suggested he could once again be a force to be reckoned with in 2016. “Let’s see tomorrow what’s going to happen”.

Asked yesterday how he planned to maintain his present level throughout the off-season, Nadal replied “I don’t deserve a vacation this year”. I am happy of how the week’s gone so far, so it’s a good feeling this time around’. You never know what’s going on in the future.