Novak Djokovic may have to take at least one set or even win the match in order to reach the semis when he goes up against Tomas Berdych at the World Tour Finals on Thursday. Djokovic is trying to bounce back from a round-robin loss to Roger Federer.
Regardless of what happens in Thursday afternoon’s match between Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori, Novak Djokovic will not have clinched a spot in the World Tour Finals semis when he takes the court for the nightcap against Tomas Berdych.
Djokovic put his London campaign in unexpected doubt by losing to Federer 7-5, 6-2 on Tuesday. If Nishikori beats Federer, Djokovic must beat Berdych. Should Federer defeat Nishikori, the world No. 1 only has to take one set against the Czech. As for Berdych, he will already be eliminated if Nishikori wins.
This will be the 23rd meeting between the two players, with Djokovic dominating the head-to-head series 20-1. Berdych has never defeated the Serb on hard courts in 17 tries, as his lone victories came at Wimbledon in 2010 and on the clay courts of Rome in 2013. Djokovic’s 17-0 mark on hard courts includes eight indoor wins and four at the O2. He is 8-1 in total sets against Berdych at this event, although a 2011 round-robin showdown ended with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) scoreline.
Berdych also managed to be competitive two weeks ago in Paris, where he never dropped serve en route to a 7-6(3), 7-6(8) setback.
Djokovic’s loss to Federer kept Berdych mathematically alive in Group Stan Smith, but it also means the top seed will be eager to make amends for that performance in what could be a must-win situation. Despite the recent setback, Djokovic is still an amazing 79-6 for the season. Tuesday marked just the second time in 2015 that he has lost prior to a final (vs. Ivo Karlovic in Doha).
Although Berdych is one of the most powerful players on tour, even he is struggling to hit through this court. He played particularly well against Djokovic in Paris, still lost in straight sets, and has not yet found the same level in London. The world No. 6 kicked off his campaign with a 6-4, 6-2 loss to Federer and a similar scoreline should be expected in this one.
Pick: Djokovic in 2 losing 7 games or fewer
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who ya got?
Birdman getting owned 6:2 6:2
Ricky, I’ve been following up your predictions and honestly you can’t be more wrong on previous picks.
Seat back and put a little bit of heart on your picks as well !
I Love your website and all your comments and articles please don’t get me wrong i do think you are a tennis expert.
Ricky “Flipa” Dimon.
He’s 4-4 you know.
Bit unfair to criticise Ricky
I have been following him for a while and he’s solid as ever
He got first 4 perfect and obviously last 4 let him down but let’s break it up and find out what actually went wrong
Djokers been a machine and fed been pretty miserable of late since US his beat down of djoker came out of no where and djokers lack of commitment was aLSO very strange obviously no one saw it coming
Berdych was the more form player of the 2 and kei has been suffering from shoulder issue so only logical to pick berdy for the win especially how he came back to win 5 games in a row in second but choked unpexectedly in third
Ferrer should have won first set today serving with set point but choked with double then UF then winner and if he won first set stan would have tanked in second
Rafas blowout of muzza came out of nowhere as well and obviously nothing of that was indicated from first match performance against ferrer however 42 UE shows he’s simply not committed and obviously Ricky has no control over these factors, Ricky’s predictions are what every other REAL experts would have predicted and expected
Obviously if tennis has no upsets then we would all be millionaires huh
Keep up the great work Rocky Ricky
all very good analysis
only one I disagree with is Nadal. I should have stuck with my original pick. Murray tricked me into thinking he was motivated for a big tournament after he beat Ferrer. Of course, even if he had played well on Wednesday he still would have gotten trounced by Nadal.
Never mind Ricky’s picks, you want to see hawkeye’s. I actually think picks are nothing more than wishful thinking.
nadline10 (at 8:26 am),
Picks are important for gamblers. 🙂
Picks are good for stirring up controversy and scoring one-upmanship points
@ nadline,
exactly…and we are only joking with Ricky…who cares if predictions are right or wrong…the analysis after the match is what counts…and Ricky has been on the spot and good in his observations…
Overall, I think Ricky is doing a fabulous job with WTF coverage…we are all lucky to have him!
Vamos! 🙂
Nats knows what time it is.
Ditto
Agree with nats. I am not at all interested in the predictions part of picks, only in the analysis. Pre-match and post match.
Well, I guess you won’t be interested in an Australian Open bracket game, Mary and Nats. :/
Reblogged this on Tennis Abides.
A NID moment
Berdych to lose 3:6 1:6
Has the World #5 EVER qualified for the SF at the WTF before the World #1?
Nice one. Do you know the answer?
No I don’t know the answer. I don’t think it’s happened in the last 10 years, at least.
augusta..under what circumstance can Rafa come 2nd in his group?
Sanju (at 9:19 am),
No way.
¤¤ Singles Group Ilie Nastase qualification scenarios after the completion of the second round of the event’s group stage:
R. NADAL has won the group,
Winner of S. WAWRINKA vs. A. MURRAY will finish 2nd in the group. ¤¤ [Source: ATP]
The one-woman Help Line and News Service appears to operate 24/24 7 days a week!
Do you ever manage to get some sleep or is your computer set to give you a wake up call when your services are required? ?
ed251137 (at 10:16 am),
I don’t think I sleep less than you, ed! 🙂
My computer is my reading (whatever) & writing (whatever) & TV series and sports watching & music listening and so on device. There is a plenty of time during commercials and other breaks to read messages… 🙂
So you’ve spotted I am a nightbird have you!
btw. What time zone are you?
ed251137 (at 2:02 pm),
Nope, I mean that Rafans’ around-the-clock schedule depends on Rafa’s schedule. 🙂
I am not sure Novak is so strong as Ricky indicates…his level is obviously dropping and he may be shaken by the loss to Fed thus his desperate statements that he “handed the win to Fed”…I think Novak was the first to grant himself the ‘invisibility attribute’…he must be disappointed now…and seeing Rafa stronger than this whole year, Novak has to be at least thinking about the future…
Berdy is not called Birdman for nothing…his mental strength, i.e., his choking abilities are extreme….but Berdy really has nothing to lose now…he could gain though: the points, the money, the fame for beating No1…so he may put up a fight and make Novak work hard for this one…
I expect this one to be close at least for two sets…Novak in 3 is my pick…although I would rather see Novak lose this one and go home and rest…he needs it…I am only worried about his physical condition, nothing more… 🙂
Lol!
Nats, That was a sarcastic dig, not a serious comment
?? ?
I’m sure he would be happy to be home in good time for Christmas. After all we know his wife and son came first in his life, tennis was is no longer his priority: he told us so when it was known she was pregnant so he wont be heart broken about not winning his third WTF title 😉
PS: I know technically it would be a fourth WTF but I discount the one handed on a gold plated platter last year. There’s still a way to go before he breaks Fed’s record.
ed251137 (at 1:14 pm),
He won’t stay at home. In December, he’ll play in the IPTL in Asia.
(I know this because Rafa is going to play too.)
Maybe Berdych would do him a favour, beat him in straight sets and send him home early for some quality family time.
I would rather Rafa sends Djoko home. That would be the best year ending gift for me as I can look forward to 2016 with hope.
Djoko will qualify if he wins at least one set against Berdy.
what if I say Berdych wins in straight sets!
then you’d be wrong
@Ricky, sometime my comments don’t appear. If you want I can make this website more innovative, dynamic, appealing and user friendly, as I am also a Software Engineer.
at least make your comments appear, please!
also what does “also” refer to here?
Berdych loses then in press conference dojokovic reports his shoulder and wrist are injured. This scenario has 2% chance and might explain his unforced errors galore last match. Dojokovic has reported he had shoulder pain on and off earlier this year.
this isnt earlier this year….
Rafa in 3
???
Novak in 2.
Standings before the match:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CUM3O_9WIAIPT5r.png
Berdych has such a big game but can’t execute it half the time.
It’s so nice to watch a tennis match without being anxious on every point.
Holy shiz!! Bryans won 6-7(5) 7-6(5) 16-14 to make semis and keep year end number one hopes alive.
Was really happy to see Fog/Bol won a match today – I don’t think that gets them to the semi’s though.
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