The last semifinal spot at the O2 will come down to the final round-robin match on Friday night when Andy Murray goes up against Stan Wawrinka. Both players are currently 1-1 and the winner will finish second in Group Ilie Nastase behind Rafael Nadal.
Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka will be battling for a place in the semis of the World Tour Finals on Friday night in London.
Shockingly, this is their first meeting in more than two years. They last faced each other at the 2013 U.S. Open, where Wawrinka rolled 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to make the head-to-head series a more even 8-6 in Murray’s favor. The Scot has won six of their eight hard-court encounters, but their last four such showdowns have been split 2-2. Their only previous indoor collision came seven years ago in Marseille, where Murray prevailed 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-1.
Each man’s round-robin fate at the O2 will be sealed by the outcome of this match. Both Murray and Wawrinka are 1-1, while Rafael Nadal has already wrapped up Group Ilie Nastase at 2-0 (with head-to-head advantages over Murray and Wawrinka), while David Ferrer is eliminated at 0-2. Thus the winner of this title will be the No. 2 qualifier from the foursome.
Murray opened in decent enough form, taking care of Ferrer 6-4, 6-4 on Monday afternoon. Two days later, however, the second seed was reduced to little more than an innocent bystander in a 6-4, 6-1 pasting by Nadal.
Wawrinka is trending in the opposite direction. The third-ranked Swiss seemed lost in just about every way in a 6-3, 6-2 setback against Nadal before recovering to beat Ferrer 7-5, 6-2. Wawrinka continued to struggle early and trailed the Spaniard 5-2 in set one, but he finally found the range and overpowered his opponent the rest of the way en route to a convincing victory.
The principal question heading into this one involves how motivated–or not–Murray is to stick around on an indoor hard court in London instead of going back to clay-court practice in advance of next week’s Davis Cup final between Great Britain and Belgium. The British No. 1 spent the previous week honing his game on the slow stuff, made a successful surface transition against Ferrer, but then looked borderline lifeless versus Nadal.
Count Wawrinka among those pondering the answer.
“It’s tough to say what he’s thinking,” the reigning French Open champion said of Murray. “If he’s completely focused or not. If he’s already thinking too much about Davis Cup. It’s impossible to know exactly what we can expect from him for Friday. For sure if I look the match today, I think was a little bit flat. For sure the fact he practiced so much after Paris on clay to get the rhythm doesn’t help him to feel completely fresh this week. We’ll see.”
Based on the Davis Cup factor and their respective performances on Wednesday, Wawrinka has to like his chance. And he may do Murray a favor by sending him on his way to Belgium.
Pick: Wawrinka in 3
[polldaddy poll=9188634]
I like Murray pulling this out in England!
I think it will be Stan in 3.
I agree with Ricky…Stan in 3 is my pick…
the poll is hilarious, though…where did Rafa come from? 🙂
oops!
fixed
Stan in three.
#DoingTheRickyFlipa
Reblogged this on Tennis Abides.
My picks before any matches started.
Group: Nastase
Murray d. Ferrer in 3
Nadal d. Wawrinka in 3
Nadal d. Murray in 3
Wawrinka d. Ferrer in 3
Nadal d. Ferrer in 3. Friday match. Rafa in 2, more like it.
Wawrinka d. Murray in 3. Friday match. Stan in 3. Go Stan!
…………………………………
Nadal: 3-0
Wawrinka: 2-1
Murray 1-2
Ferrer 0-3
Even though I would love to see wawrinka win, sadly he can’t. His game is riddled with way to many errors at the moment. Yes he was able to get by Ferrer, but only because he cant push stan back in the court. Its too sad wawrinka only saves his best tennis for majors. Murray will easily outrally wawrinka on this one.
Murray in 2.
No
+1 Ricky
Easily outrally him? I don’t know about that one. And keep in mind Stan plays well here typically. He made semis on 2013 debut and probably should’ve made the final in 2014 and after such a great display from 2-5 down in the first set and on he will be motivated. I say Stan takes it in straights in either two tough sets or two quick sets.
quite possible..
Murray in 2…home court!
I’m rooting for Murray to stop Stan gaining any more points in order to narrow the gap between him and Rafa.
yup….same here.
I’m pulling a double 360 deg. Ricky “flipa-dim”-on special at the last moment before the match and picking Murray in three.
He wants the year end no. 2.
My view from atop the fence is just fine. Have flipped to fence sitting.
Well ok but just remember that your membership in the Tenngrand Pick’em Club is still in the probation period.
Just be careful that you don’t claim picks after the match that never really happened or use qualifiers such as “If he plays well…” for example.
#HereToHelps
Ha! I see how this works. You can flippa, Ricky can flippa, everyone else no flippa. It isn’t fair! 😉 feel my avatar changing…
You can flipa like Ricky.
Before the match.
But there are no fences to sit on at the Pick’em Club.
Hm, could Muzz be thinkin’ he wants the glory. Beat Stan and Fed? Hellz, bellz.
He ain’t touching Fed indoors.
#BagelsAndBreadsticks
#ExtraGluten
Didn’t know you were a Carrot Top fan.
Hey, that’s my favorite Muzz, avatar. He was en fuego back then.
This is mine (which probably says too much about me).
Tim Henman, right? he looks rather green too…
No. Andy.
The previous one was Mr. Neo Anderson.
Hahahaha……maoff
That was neo? I looked at it a long time. Could have sworn it was Tim. LOL
Don’t you remember?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D7cPH7DHgA
I do remember now. But I didn’t. Thought you were anti-Henman lol…Almost posted a corny Matrix clip about Smith group on Monday – love Mr. Smith.
Donna Vekic and Stan’s ex wife are both at the match………………………………..
……..which may or may not be a good thing for Stan in the long run. #comparingnotes
You’ve got to be joking. Hee,hee
Stan once called his wife his concubine in Swenglish so maybe he has a harem.
LOL>>>
NO WAY Murray is going to easily outrally wawrinka….
Bad Call! It’s not fair! Jeepers
what happened
Stan should have won a point that was called in when it was out. Would have possibly prevented the break.
Muzz breaks back. Oh, so wrong.
Don’t care that much who wins. For DC purposes don’t want Muzz wearing himself out , but he’s the boss, not me 🙂
Good match!
Muzza’s forehand. ..ouch and a netted backhand, and a missed return
Could be strategic You never know with Muzza
Could be. But Andy’s forehand seems to have regressed, imo.
Great point!
Watch the forehand and serve be lethal for Davis Cup. 😉
😉 ?
Glimpses of brilliance, Muzz!
Murray banished his team from the players bench probably to help him control his rages towards them but it’s not helping him.