Wawrinka beats Murray; sets up semi-final clash with Federer — ATP Finals

For with all the permutations that become possible in a round-robin format between the best eight players in the world, it is a rare and exciting occasion indeed for qualification into the semis to come down to a knock-out bout, and in the very last match of the round-robin phase.

But from the moment Djokovic fired four clean winners to break to love in the second game of the match, the tone was set.

Murray raced into a 4-2 lead as he capitalised on errors from the Swiss, but the number two seed made two errors of his own to bring Wawrinka back into the game.

Another last-four meeting with Roger Federer in London now awaits Wawrinka, who lost an epic three-setter to his compatriot after failing to take four match points in 2014.

With Nadal already in the semi-finals from the Ilie Nastase Group and Ferrer going home after two defeats, it could have been a non-event but the packed arena was treated to the longest match of the group stage with Nadal winning 6-7(2) 6-3 6-4 after two hours 37 minutes.

The Spaniard had been aggressive in his play in the first three matches, finding depth and penetration with his groundstrokes, but they had little effect on Djokovic.

There were questions before the match about how much Murray really wanted to make the semi-finals having made clear next weekend’s Davis Cup final against Belgium was his priority. But this week and actually a lot of the time when I’ve played here on this court, I’ve felt the same way. “I have to play to the limit of my best to have a chance”, he said.

“I quite liked that because he’s got no audience to perform to”, said Castle. Obviously you have to try your best right way through to the end.

“This year, because [of] things that we talked about enough, I was just anxious about how to hit the ball, to don’t miss, more than try to hit the ball where I need to hit the ball to damage the opponent”, he explained in his postmatch news conference.

“I gave a cheap point away at 4-2 [in the tie-break]”. They first met in Monte Carlo on clay where Federer dismissed Wawrinka routinely 6-4, 6-2. Even in the last game [of the match] … a couple of backhands, one in the middle of the net on a deuce point, then on match point, another simple backhand into the tramlines.

It was then the Scot’s turn to fend off a break point, holding his serve with a blistering backhand, but he would be broken at 3-4 down following an overhit return.

“For me it was another opportunity to compete”.

Murray will be part of a six-man line-up also including Tim Henman and world No7 Ferrer in a tournament of first-to-10 point tie breaks, with a prize of £164,000.