Nitto ATP Finals 2019: Roger Federer's chances of winning the title
For the age-defying icon that Roger Federer has currently become, the year of 2019 has been a brilliant example of his ceaseless dominance over the sport. The 38-year-old Swiss is going to make his 17th appearance in the year-ending Nitto ATP Finals, which marks the conclusion of the annual ATP season. Things may have moved slowly in the Federer camp over the past week with the hangover of the Swiss maestro's 10th Swiss Indoors win still lingering in the air, but there is no denying that Federer has a good shot at getting his seventh ATP Tour Finals title.
The Swiss legend is known to possess a certain charm that manages to bewitch opponents on the court. His performance at the recently-concluded Swiss Indoors was an exceptional spectacle of an all-Federer show.
Throughout the course of the tournament, Federer gifted moments of pure awe and wonder when he rushed to the net and around it to create magical shots, which always found themselves to be inside the margins of the court. That was not all for the 20-time Grand Slam champion, as he delivered a masterclass in tennis at every opportunity he got, firing aces and serving delectable winners that captivated the fans.
Then again, the one thing that has been constant for the Swiss over all these years is his sheer ability to make difficult shots look easy and he continues to do that in every single match, which further showcases his steely grip in most encounters.
For the former World No. 1, 2019 has been bittersweet with four title wins. The only real heart-breaking moment that has come across Federer's path this year must have been the Wimbledon final - the longest in the grass Slam's history - where he lost the match by a slim margin.
Throughout the tournament, Federer displayed a rock-solid form and even during the final, it was the Swiss who looked to be in better shape, but it was Novak Djokovic's day as he lifted his fifth Wimbledon title after a battle that lasted nearly five hours. But now it does seem like Federer has put that disappointing loss behind him and has refocused. The World No. 3, who has already been a champion at the ATP Finals on six different occasions, will also be seeking to stay inside the top 4.
Drawn in the Bjorn Borg group, Roger Federer has the likes of Dominic Thiem, Novak Djokovic and Matteo Berrettini to tackle. After having taken a break from the Paris Masters that was held last week, Federer will be looking to make a fresh appearance at the O2 Arena on Sunday.
Riding on the success of a 10th title at his home tournament, Federer is in formidable form and he should not have much trouble in the round robin stages of the tournament. Slated to begin his campaign for a seventh ATP Finals title against World No. 5 Dominic Thiem, Federer will have to be at his best against the 2019 Indian Wells champion.
To be fair, Roger Federer has had only 8 hiccups this year and has won on 51 occasions so far, which in itself is a good number, considering how he has steered clear of several tournaments. Other than that statistic, Federer also has the record of winning the most matches in the ATP Finals with 57 match wins so far and an incredible 41 round robin wins in his career.
However, the 38-year-old will have a lot on his plate in the ATP Finals, precisely because there won't be any 'easy' match on the list. Federer will be meeting Novak Djokovic for a 49th time and the Swiss has some serious making up to do to stop the Serb from winning their contest for the fifth time on the trot.
The competition is definitely going to be a lot tougher than what he faced at the Swiss Indoors. Federer cannot afford to relax here because it could cost him a top 4 spot. Although the six-time champion has nothing left to prove, there is no denying that the Swiss still has the hunger for more. The ATP Finals should be a treat to watch as it will consist of the creme de la creme of tennis and Roger Federer stands a good chance of finishing on the top podium.