Rafael Nadal secures the year-end top ranking by improving to 2-0 in London with a win over Stanislas Wawrinka on Wednesday. Tomas Berdych gets his first victory of the week at the expense of David Ferrer.
(1) Rafael Nadal d. (7) Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6(5), 7-6(6)
Nadal assured himself of a spot in the semis of the World Tour Finals with his second consecutive straight-set victory on Wednesday afternoon. The Spaniard also improved to 12-0 lifetime against Wawrinka, 26-0 in total sets, and 6-0 in tiebreakers. Wawrinka had a set point at 6-5 in the second ‘breaker, but Nadal saved it with an overhead smash and won the next two points as well.
The victory also clinches a year-end world No. 1 ranking for the third time in Nadal’s career (2008 and 2010). Wawrinka, meanwhile, is still alive with a 1-1 record heading into the last day of Group A round-robin action.
“Today, it was more important secure the No. 1 at the end of the season,” Nadal explained. “(It is) one of the best things that I have done in my career, coming back to the No. 1 after three seasons. That’s very difficult in our sport, and the good thing is after two matches now, I can really be focused only on the tournament because the year-end (ranking) is over.”
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(5) Tomas Berdych d. (3) David Ferrer 6-4, 6-4
Berdych improved to 4-7 lifetime against Ferrer and avenged a recent Paris quarterfinal loss by prevailing in one hour and 23 minutes. The Czech broke serve at 4-4 in each of the two sets and he did not face a single break point the entire way. Berdych had lost to Wawrinka on Monday, but he remained alive thanks to his victory over Ferrer. The Spaniard, meanwhile, is mathematically eliminated.
“At this kind of level, with these kind of players, it’s not easy at all,” Berdych assured. “I’m very glad my game was better. I was playing well. My game-plan was working from beginning to the end. (I was) serving really good; a lot of positive things from today.”
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