Wawrinka: First set was crucial against Murray

Whatever happened at the World Tour Finals on Friday, Rafael Nadal knew he would leave as the group victor.

Novak Djokovic joined Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals but there was a heartbreaking doubles loss for Jamie Murray and John Peers.

Wawrinka added: “It’s an incredible tournament to play”.

Djokovic – who has won 24 of his past 25 encounters on tour – comes in on fire.

Rafa Nadal will pose a significant grand slam threat again next year after showing signs of returning to his best, according to two of the Spaniard’s greatest rivals. The 37-year-old Bryans, who have won a record 109 titles together, have now reached at least the semi-finals of the season-ender for the 10th time, winning four titles.

In an nearly exact copy of the second set, Nadal served out the following game, winning the match in the process. “The couple of matches, first couple of matches he played here against Wawrinka and Murray showed that he feels more confident, shows that he’s starting to miss less, serve efficiently, use his forehand much better”. Ashed how long he will keep it, Federer said: “I don’t know yet”. The third then began with the best game of the match, which lasted almost 14 minutes and 200 shots – including a few spectacular winners from both players.

Yes, these two have a history.

“Doesn’t matter if I was qualified”, explained Nadal afterwards. The 2013 phenomenal semifinal at Roland Garros that Nadal took 9-7 in the fifth.

“The last two matches haven’t been on the level desired”, Djokovic said, “but still managed to win two and lose one and I’m in semifinals”.

“When you’re playing and competing against the best players, obviously it’s very important”, said Murray.

Murray, who will lead Britain against hosts Belgium in the Davis Cup final next week, made a total of 30 unforced errors and lost after one hour and 53 minutes.

Rafael Nadal has been so frustrated by his relative lack of success that he will deny himself a holiday when this season comes to an end. Wawrinka claimed a tight opening set on a tiebreak before surging towards a comfortable 7-6 6-4 victory which sends the British number spiralling out of the tournament.

There was perhaps an understandable preoccupation with Davis Cup duty, but Murray denied his mind had been elsewhere. This year, the 34-year-old has no complaints. I am going to try to play aggressively, to be strong mentally. “It was tough. I couldn’t quite get the balance”.

‘I will have a couple of days off then be back in the gym.

If he has fared better in the first three games of a hard-court match against an elite opponent than on Friday afternoon, it can’t have been on many occasions. Nadal accepts, though, that the prospect of taking on the world No. 1 represents a different challenge entirely.

Ferrer surged to 16 of 20 points in the next four games to build a 4-3 lead at the O2 Arena.

Second seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau will face the Bryan twins after beating French duo Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut.