ATP Finals 2019, Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic: Can Federer roll back the years to overcome the resilient Serb?
Following an emphatic win over the debutant Italian Matteo Berretini in his opening clash at the Nitto ATP Finals, Novak Djokovic looked poised to get past Dominic Thiem and qualify for the semi-finals. However, the 26-year-old had other ideas as he stunned the Serb in three epic sets to ensure he would finish at the top of the group.
Roger Federer went through a similar fate as he suffered a 5-7, 5-7 defeat in his opening encounter at the hands of the belligerent Austrian. However, the Swiss maestro restored parity in his second round-robin match with a resounding 7-6(7-2), 6-3 win over Berrettini.
With just a solitary victory under their belt so far at this year’s Nitto ATP Finals, Federer and Djokovic are set to collide in a virtual quarter-final at the O2 Arena in London on Day 5 of the tournament.
This upcoming encounter would be their first meeting on the tour since their incredible Wimbledon final in July. Djokovic marginally leads their head-to-head tally 26-22 so far and once again starts as a favourite against the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
The Serb is currently on a five-match winning streak against Federer. Incidentally however, the Swiss' last win against the World No. 2 came at the Nitto ATP Finals back in 2015, when he got the better of his nemesis in straight sets in their round-robin encounter.
That said, Federer could not enjoy the win for too long as he was beaten comprehensively by Djokovic in the final later that week.
Djokovic’s relentlessness has been a major hurdle for Federer of late as the Swiss great has managed to win just twice against the Serb in their last 10 meetings on the tour. Federer's mental block against the Serb was clearly evident when he choked in the final at this year's Wimbledon.
But Djokovic has plenty to ponder himself. With Rafael Nadal producing a mind-boggling victory over Daniil Medvedev on Wednesday, the Serb needs to win the title if he fancies achieving the year-end No. 1 ranking. And even that wouldn't guarantee the top spot, as Nadal could seal the deal by reaching the final.
It goes without saying that if Djokovic loses against Federer in their virtual quarter-final, he will not only be eliminated from the tournament, but also will yield the year-end No.1 ranking to Nadal. That is what makes this upcoming encounter all the more interesting and gripping.
Federer has six ATP Finals titles to his name so far, but his last victory came back in 2011 when he bested Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the summit clash. With the age factor stacked against him, Federer would be desperate to make the semifinals here as he may not have too many more chances of winning this title.
The Swiss star has often stood tall in the face of adversity over the years, especially when the odds have been aligned against him. Federer would need to recall his vintage self if he fancies getting past the resilient Serb.
With everything to play for in the contest, we can expect Federer to be aggressive - the way he was in the Wimbledon final. It would be interesting to see whether Djokovic also goes on the attack or chooses to defend, given the fact that he is coming off a mentally draining loss to Thiem.
Can Federer roll back the years to record an upset win over Djokovic, or will the Serb hold his mental composure to seal the second semi-final spot from the group?
Prediction: Novak Djokovic to win in three sets.