Djokovic, Murray and Peers are early winners in London

The story so far at the 2015 World Tour Finals is a similar one to what transpired one year earlier: gripping doubles matches one after the other intermixed with a smorgasbord of lopsided singles affairs.

Action at the O2 got underway on Sunday afternoon with a doubles showdown featuring Great Britain’s own Jamie Murray and his Australian partner John Peers against the Italian duo of Fabio Fognini and Simone Bolelli. Much to the crowd’s delight, Murray and Peers held off the Australian Open champions 7-6(5), 3-6, 11-9.


“It was a great match,” Murray said. “Really exciting match. I think both teams played well. There [were] a lot of exciting points…. It’s a huge event for us which we’re really excited to be a part of. We worked hard all year to qualify for this tournament.”

Novak Djokovic’s qualification was never in doubt–and a fourth consecutive year-end championship title may not be in much doubt, either. The world No. 1 won his 23rd match in a row by destroying Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-1.

Djokovic gets the year-end No. 1 trophy:

It was the eighth round-robin match of the last 11 at the World Tour Finals in which winner lost five games or fewer.

“I think I was at my best,” Djokovic commented. “I didn’t allow him to dictate the play. I mixed up the pace. I was feeling very comfortable on the court…. Kei, he didn’t perform at his best. I think mostly [it was] because I was playing so well. I wasn’t allowing him to perform at the level where he wanted to be.”

“That could be why I didn’t have a good serve,” Nishikori said when asked if he was 100 percent physically. “I didn’t practice much these last couple of days, especially my serve.”

Speaking of practice, Rafael Nadal and first alternate Richard Gasquet were out there on Sunday afternoon.

Nadal ripping forehands:
[tweet https://twitter.com/BloodDimon/status/665885313177358336]

Nadal practicing volleys:
[tweet https://twitter.com/TennGrand/status/665880022855639040]

Gasquet:
[tweet https://twitter.com/TennGrand/status/665874232358866944]

A moment of silence for the Paris victims is held before Djokovic vs. Nishikori: