A spot in the Paris final will be at stake when Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic collide on Saturday. The winner will go up against either Rafael Nadal or David Ferrer.
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will be facing each other for the 30th time in their careers but for the first time this season when they clash in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Masters on Saturday.
Federer leads the head-to-head series 16-13, including 12-10 on hard courts. They met five times last year, with Djokovic winning three of those encounters. After losing 6-0, 7-6(7) in the Cincinnati final, the Serb scored a 7-6(6), 7-5 victory in the World Tour Finals title match.
Both players are headed back to London in 2013, although it was a struggle for Federer. The 32-year-old Swiss did not clinch a berth until he defeated Kevin Anderson in his Paris opener. Federer followed that up with defeats of Philipp Kohlschreiber and an on-fire Juan Martin Del Potro while improving his season record to 43-14. The world No. 6 is 8-2 since a fourth-round U.S. Open loss to Tommy Robredo.
“Roger is probably experiencing the worst season that he had in last 10 years,” Djokovic said, “but he’s still a player to beat in every tournament, because he’s Roger Federer, because he has won 17 Grand Slams, and we all know how successful a career he has. You cannot underestimate him. I think he’s playing really well.”
That’s exactly what Djokovic has been doing, especially this fall. Since succumbing to Rafael Nadal in the U.S. Open final, the world No. 2 is a perfect 15-0. He won both Beijing and Shanghai and so far this week he has taken out Pierre-Hugues Herbert, John Isner, and Stanislas Wawrinka–losing one set to Isner along the way. Djokovic is 65-9 for the year and still alive to finish 2013 at No. 1 in the world.
Federer’s scalp of Del Potro was his first Top 5 victory of this entire season. The former world No. 1 is clearly showing signs of his old self, but asking for two such wins in two days may be too much. The task is an especially difficult one given the form Djokovic displayed against Wawrinka.
Pick: Djokovic in 2
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Oh, I cant wait to hear the wailing and moaning from fans about Rafa’s draw being a cupcake, esp. after the draw in Bercy!!!
@monalysa13, let’s be honest: Rafa HAS a cup-cake WTF draw! All. Rafa has to do to secure YE#1 is to beat Ferru today, even if he loses in the final tomorrow, he has to get ONE win in that WTF group, hehehe!
Oh, to whom much is given, more is given………….
Love it…..Vamos!
Extraordinary. The days were when Federer would never have made such a meal out of serving for the set at the outset of a match. He’s got into Novak’s head nonetheless.
There it is! Im happy that Roger at least won a set!!!
1st set Roger..Vamos Roger..lol 🙂
^^Don’t lie, @Sanju, everyone knows you mean, “Vamos Rafa!”
Ricky the king of wrong picks 😀
WTF DRAW
Group A
Rafa
Wawrinka
Berdych
Ferrer
Group
Djokovic
Federer
Gasquet
Del Potro
Just as I wanted it!
I am sure!!
Guys I see it differently..having an easy RR means trouble at semi shootout..Rafa will have to face Novak or Fed in semi or maybe Delpo..all 3 are too much on indoor fast court
But @sanju, he will surely have secured the YE#1 and will be playing freely then, no?
RITB..I am talking more of the whole priz..the WTF title :-)I feel an easier opponent in semi is more preferable than a RR
For your information, sanju, Rafa has beaten Novak twice at the WTF.
Does not mean they are easy..they still will be too much to handle..conditions, court favour them
Sanju, but he won’t have to face all three, since all three are in the opposite half, and after RR there are only two more matches, where he could possibly face two of the three, you mentioned. To me it looks like a draw tailor made for Rafa.
I know he will have to face 1 in semi but it is a shootout..RR gives u leeway to play badly 1 match..semi does not
Is this for real???
Federer seems to be lapsing in the second like in Delpo’s match. So this is going to three where unfortunately I must give the nod to Novak!!
Agreed…But at least Rafa’s opponent will then have played three sets.
Federer is playing better but he has now blinked! Novak has now broken him twice in the second!!!!
He missed some very easy sitters in 2nd .heshould not have lost the serve he did..the court was all open n his shots just hit net tape.
Maybe Fed’s back is “playing up again”
Fed cannot keep up the high standard for more than a set.
Agree, Fed played beautifully in the first but Nole upped his level and Fed could not maintain his. Was thinking what a beautiful volleyer he was in the first.
yay! Nole!
Djoko breaks Fed in 3rd damn (:-
This match is all but over.
I think they should take the Genius at Work banner down. It’s embarrassing.
^^^ “take the Genius at Work banner down..” LOL
Andy Murray fans have their own banner:”Shh gold medal winner at work”…;) Was gonna make one for the O2 too *sobs*
I’m beginning to scare of this djokovic again! I hate it! I think it’s going to be another 2011 in 2014! 🙁
Djokovic wins.
he just doesn’t lose! scary!
rafaelo..you are way too respectful of Djokovic and put him on a pedestal..
It’s way too early to stress yourself out over 2014, lol! 2013 isn’t even gone! Fed faded badly in the end. that was to be expected.
And we don’t even know, if 2014 will take place. Maybe the apocalypse scheduled for 12/21/2012 was only postponed. I heard from a reliable source that the emergency regulations were very strict, and some standards were not met.
He won Beijing, China, WTF last year too..did he have a stellar 2013 rafaelo?
Yes, sanju, Nole had a stellar 2013! Rafa’s 2013 just happened to be even more stellar, lol! 🙂
I’m talking about his confidence and that look in his eyes! he feels no pressure! and swing freely! in tough situations he is the one who comes up with big shots!
Then you did not see innumerable matches this year rafaelo where he literally succumbed to the pressure..
Ill give you few egs RG 2013 semi, Wimby 2013 final, USO 2013 final, Montreal semi, IW semi, Rome QF, Cincy QF
More than enough of a list to see how he folded .
Even tday in 1st set he was so tight.
I am speaking of NOW! he didn’t lost a match past USO!
hasn’t i meant 😀