Last 8 in Paris are the 8 going to the world tour finals

[Corbon]

Fed wins 1st set

Net points won

14/20 Fed
2/12 Nole

Amateurish approach shots by the Serb

3rd set. Nole is playing much better now.

[Corbon]

Masters Groups are done

GROUP A
Rafael Nadal
David Ferrer
Tomas Berdych
Stanislas Wawrinka

GROUP B
Novak Djokovic
Juan Martin del Potro
Roger Federer
Richard Gasquet

Poor Richard

[Florian]

Not sure who's the poorest between Waw who won't take a set from Rafa, can maybe get a tough win from Berdych but will lose to Ferrer who is playing better ; or Gasquet who might trouble Delpo, might take a set off Fed and will get destroyed by Djokovic ^^

Anyway too easy for Rafa...I see Ferrer qualify as well.
Nole and Fed in 2nd group as well.

[Corbon]

Actually Nole and Delpo is more likely

Don't see Nadal not losing a set really.

[Ali-Iqb93]

Lol him many times does federer want to get crushed at the net.. He gifted his serve in the 3rd set

[Corbon]

And Nole dominates and wins the 3rd. Was a set and a break down.

Anyway, probably the best tournament Fed has played since the AO. Should give him some confidence for the Finals.

[ICEMAN_9588]

Come on guys, a shadow of the past doesn't beat one of the best players in the world at the moment, and also a top 5.
Federer's back injury has compromised his training in the crucial moments of the year (post-AO, post-IW to Madrid, post-Wimbledon to Canada or Cincy).

Now that this problem seems to be overcomed (and I mean that the injury is not "traumatic" anymore, but "just" chronic, like Nadal's knees), he should be able to train for good.
We have to wait 2014 before say this or that about Federer last career stint.

[Corbon]

Ferrer is serving for match, 30-30, Ferrer hits an otherwise great cross court ball just wide, Nadal gets his FIRST break in the match

[BrushedBigJJ]

Then nadal makes two errors and gives the break right back. Ferrer serving for it again.

[Corbon]

And wins!

[Ali-Iqb93]

Don't see Nadal not losing a set really.

After today's match what are your thoughts now?

Nole, federer, delpo everyone has 50/50 chance.. Dunno I have the feeling that Nole won't make to semis

[R0CK GAMER]

so its ferrer vs djokovic finals lol looks like djokovic has a 70\30 chance at ending the year as no.1

[ICEMAN_9588]

No way, the points of 2012 Finals will drop next monday. This means that even if he wins Bercy, Djokovic won't return at number 1.
To do that, he should win all his matches in World Tour Finals, hoping that Nadal won't win any match in Round Robin.

Unlikely.

[BrushedBigJJ]

No way, the points of 2012 Finals will drop next monday. This means that even if he wins Bercy, Djokovic won't return at number 1.
To do that, he should win all his matches in World Tour Finals, hoping that Nadal won't win any match in Round Robin.

Unlikely.

You are mostly right. The world tour finals is a special tournament with 2 important things when it comes to points. First it never counts for race ranking points. And second it's the only tournament that takes off entry points before the tournament starts. I'm betting this is done so the race ranking match the entry rankings, and for the exact situation we could face with Novak and Rafa. If djokivic wins the Paris final he will gain enough points to be #1 in any other circumstance. But because he loses all 1500 points from his world tour final win last year at the beginning of the the world tour finals he will stay number 2. If Novak wins Paris and goes undefeated at the world tour finals, and Nadal goes 0-3, Novak will, end the year #1...good luck Novak.

[ICEMAN_9588]

Well, actually ATP Finals are not the only tournament that drops the points of the previous year before the tournament itself starts.
Or better, points drop exactly 52 weeks later. This means if a tournament get a change in the year calendar, it can drop its points before (or after) its beginning.

Anyway, even if Djokovic finds a way to end 2013 at number one, I think this "victory" won't last, cause in Australia he will defend 2000 points, and Nadal (obviously, again) 0.
I think that Nadal will end 2013 as world number 1, and he will increase his advantage on Djokovic in Melbourne.

In 2014, he will have only one tournament to earn a lot of point. Of course, I'm talking about Wimbledon.
Considering that Rafa won't lose too much points during the clay courts season, I think his rank will be in danger only after Wimbledon.