Austraila Warm up - Round Up

The 2012 tennis season has already begun with 3 main ATP tournaments already completed.  World No. 4 Andy Murray was number 1 seed for this tournament and he got his first trophy of the year defeating Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-1, 6-3.  Although the final was a relatively easy win for him due to the Ukrainian not being fully fit, he struggled in the early stages of the tournament having to win the first two rounds in 3 sets but maybe his loss of concentration will be ironed out by his new coach Ivan Lendl. 

It was all French affair at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open with Jo Wilfred Tsonga going head to head against Gael Monfils winning 7-5, 6-3.  Hopefully it will serve up as a good warm up towards his Australian open hopes, he will certainly be looking to do well at the first grand slam event of the year. 

The final men’s 250 event was one by Milos Raonic in Chennai.  2011 was an amazing year for the Canadian but the 21 year old had some doubters who did not believe he could follow up his breakthrough year.  He has started to prove them wrong winning a hard fought match against Janko Tipsarevic, 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 7-6(4) to win his second ATP World Tour title.  Now Milos Raonic is now tied with Andy Murray and Jo Wilfred Tsonga at the top of the ATP 2012 race – a place where I am sure he wants to stay!

The Australian Open starts on the 16^th January. 

6 Year end Championships for Federer

Roger Federer wins the final tournament of the season with a 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3, win over Jo Wilfred Tsonga.  Federer always looked the better player displaying his stylish shot making to the packed crowed at the O2 arena. 

Tsonga showed his own impressive shot making keeping the 1^st set close up until he provided a poor service game to let the former world No.1 break him and then ease to a first set lead of 6-3. 

In the second set Tsonga made some poor shot selections to let Federer back into the points.  Although Tsonga managed to break the Swiss man when he was 5-4 up with some mighty return of serves, it appeared to be too much for him as he went match point down in the tie break, but with some ferocious forehands he saved it and created a set point for himself.  He took it and stormed off to his chair with the momentum. 

The third and final set started in the same fashion with both players holding their service games.  Tsonga looked the edgier of the two again making some poor shot selections and a few double faults but still managed to keep in contention with pure power. 

Classic Federer was produced at the right time as he broke the Frenchmen for a 5-3 lead.  Then 40 minutes after his previous match point he created 3 more.  He took it with a volley and won his 70^th career title in his 100^th career final.  It was as good as it gets from Mr Federer and his celebrations were jubilant as he took the title along with a nice sum of money. 

London's Calling

The top 8 players and teams have been finalised and they are heading to London for the ATP Tour World Finals and today the groups were announced. 

Group A                                                                                                                       Group B

Novak Djokovic                                                                                                             Rafael Nadal

Andy Murray                                                                                                                 Roger Federer

David Ferrer                                                                                                                  Jo Wilfred Tsonga

Thomas Berdych                                                                                                           Mardy Fish

I think the two that make it out of each group will depend on injuries.  It has been a long hard season for all 8 with Djokovic, Nadal and Fish all pulling out of last week’s Paris Masters so we will have to wait and see how ready they will be.  This is why I think Murray has a real chance to win this year as he has had a fantastic end to the season.  Even though he lost to Berdych in the Semis in Paris this will fire up his determination and remind him that he can be beaten by everybody in this final 8.  Tsonga could be the dark horse of the competition, he made it to the final in Paris with the help of the French crowed; but the English love him to with his magnificent showing at Queens adn Wimbledon this summer.  But again his progress through Group B could depend on any injuries that the players have sustained in the past few weeks.