2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals: Roger Federer versus Andy Murray – Match Preview
One of the most intriguing rivalries on the ATP World Tour highlight today’s schedule of play at the 2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London as Group B singles action continues.
World number two Roger Federer and number one Brit Andy Murray will play the opening match of the day. Both of them have already triumphed in their first match of the competition comfortably in straight sets on Sunday. Murray leads the pair’s head to head
series at 8-5, winning their last two meetings in two sets. Federer, however, triumphed in their first encounter of the year in the final of the Australian Open in Melbourne back in January.
The 29-year-old Federer enjoys a lifetime mark of 30-7 in his ninth consecutive showing at the year finale in London. The Swiss native started off his tournament’s campaign on Sunday with a two setter victory over David Ferrer. The final match score was
6-1, 6-4. The Swiss converted four of nine break point chances and prevented five of six on his serve to seal win in the end.
He couldn’t go beyond the semi final stage here back in 2009 as he was toppled by Nikolay Davydenko in three sets. The final score line was 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. He got the better of Fernando Verdasco and Andy Murray on his way into the final four round. The four
time champion, who enters with a match record of 61-13 on the season, has advanced into the semi finals in seven of eight showings at London.
Federer started off his season with a semi final run in Doha before losing to Nikolay Davydenko, followed by his 16th career major title at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
His other notable performances in 2010 include title victories in Cincinnati, Stockholm and Basel, runners up showings in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Toronto and ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai, semi final appearances
in Doha, Estoril, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Paris and quarter final runs in Roland Garros, United States Open and Wimbledon.
Federer is recently coming off his semi final finish at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris where the Swiss was bundled out of the tournament by Gael Monfils in three sets.
The number one Brit Andy Murray, on the other hand, opened his account in London with a two setter win over Robin Soderling of Sweden on Sunday. The final match score was 6-2, 6-4. The Scott blasted a total of ten aces and converted three of six break point
chances to seal win in the end. World number five, who enters with a win loss mark of 45-16 on the year, is on course to finish in top five on the third occasion in a row.
The 23-year-old Murray started off his 2010 campaign by playing at the Australian Open where he finished as runners up to Roger Federer. The right hander made his way into the title battle after posting victories over John Isner as well as Rafael Nadal.
He recorded his best result of the season by winning two titles in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Toronto and ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai, beating Roger Federer on both occasions.
Murray also reached the final in Los Angeles, semi final in Wimbledon and quarterfinals in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati, Beijing and ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Paris.
The Scott is recently coming off his quarter final appearance in Paris where he was thrashed out by Gael Monfils in straight sets. Murray, as a result of this loss, also dropped down to number five in the world.
Murray along with Rafael Nadal is the only contender on the tour to hold winning record versus Federer. In their only past encounter on the Scott’s home soil, however, the Swiss triumphed in 2009 in the round robin play in three sets. The final score line
was 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
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