Roger Federer starts ATP World Tour Finals bid with Tomas Berdych win
Monday 16 November 2015 09:11, UK
Roger Federer got his bid for a seventh ATP World Tour Finals victory off to a great start with a convincing 6-4, 6-2 win over Tomas Berdych.
Federer began his 14th consecutive appearance at the season-ending event in surprisingly sloppy fashion but soon hit top gear and produced a string of brilliant winners to take complete control.
The Swiss world No 3 wrapped up victory in just over an hour and now needs just one more win to reach 50 at the tournament.
However, he dropped serve to love in the second game of the match, two double-faults in a row giving Berdych an early boost and leaving the O2 crowd stunned.
But, crucially, the 30-year-old Czech was then broken to love himself and he began to find it hard work from that point onwards.
The sixth seed did manage to go 4-3 ahead but a poor game at 4-4 handed Federer an easy break and the 17-time Grand Slam winner took the opportunity, holding serve to claim the first set.
Federer can be impossible to play against once he relaxes and he made it seven games in a row racing into a 4-0 lead at the start of the second set, delighting the crowd with some superb drop shots as he broke serve twice more.
Berdych often packs a punch with his big serve and powerful forehand but neither shot was in full working order on this occasion as he lost his Tour Finals opener for the sixth time in a row.
He did manage a couple of service holds at the end of the match but Federer was comfortable on serve himself and clinched victory in skilful fashion, guiding a tricky half-court forehand into the corner for a winner.
Despite winning the match in straight sets, Federer was critical of his performance.
"It was one of the worst starts I've had in years," he said.
"No first serves, two double-faults, nothing coming from the baseline. So it was rough. But thankfully I was able to pick it up."
World No 1 Novak Djokovic was also an impressive winner on Sunday and he will play Federer on Tuesday in a match likely to decide who wins the Stan Smith Group.
Live Tennis: ATP World Tour Finals
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