Djokovic Blows Past Berdych to Clinch Year-End Number One Spot

November 14, 2014 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Novak_Djokovic_10_2
Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

World number one Novak Djokovic will maintain his status atop the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings until at least the end of 2014 as the Serb routed Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-2 at the ATP Finals on Friday. The win moves Djokovic into the semifinals, and clinches the year-end number one ranking for the third time in his career.

“On behalf of the ATP, I’d like to congratulate Novak on another phenomenal season,” said Chris Kermode, ATP executive chairman and president. “Finishing as the year-end number one is the ultimate achievement in our sport. Since the inception of the rankings in 1973, only 16 players can lay claim to that achievement. It’s been a very exciting end to the season with Novak being pushed all the way by a resurgent Roger Federer. Novak has had another outstanding season and is truly deserving of his place as number one.”

Djokovic began the match against Berdych the same way he had finished against Wawrinka, blitzing the Czech from the very beginning. He broke at love in the first game, and then broke again in the third game following a hold to take a commanding 3-0 lead in just 10 minutes.

The two would then exchange holds for the next five games as Djokovic served out the remainder of the set, capturing the opening frame 6-2.

The second set was nearly a mirror image of the first as the two-time ATP Finals champion jumped out to another 3-0 lead. With the break advantage on his side he was able to serve out the rest of the set, again winning it 6-2 to wrap up the match in one hour and 10 minutes.

Djokovic needed to beat Berdych in straight sets today to clinch the year-end number one, and has dropped just nine games total in his three London matches thus far.

“Being number one in the world is probably one of the most difficult and biggest challenges that a tennis player can have, so it’s incredibly fulfilling and I’m very happy with this achievement,” said Djokovic. “It’s been a long year and it’s one of the ultimate challenges and I’m just glad to be standing here with the trophy knowing how many legends of the sport have done the same before. It’s an extreme honor to have them with me here.”

The two-time defending champion at the ATP Finals now moves into the semifinals and draws a matchup with Japan’s Kei Nishikori. The two most recently played in the semifinals of BNP Paribas Masters in Paris, a 6-2, 6-3 Djokovic win.

The final round-robin match of the tournament will take place later today and feature two Grand Slam winners as 2014 Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka battles 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic.

A Wawrinka win puts the Swiss into the semifinals, but a Cilic win in straight sets means the runner up in Group B will come down to the percentage of games won between Wawrinka, Cilic and Berdych.


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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