Nadal’s a big threat again, says Federer and Djokovic

Reuters: Rafa Nadal will be pose a significant grand slam threat again next year after showing signs of returning to his best, according to two of the Spaniard’s greatest rivals.

Spaniard Nadal slumped to 10th in the world rankings this year after a crisis of confidence and form, but since a third-round defeat at the US Open by Italian Fabio Fognini he has rediscovered his old spark.

So far this week at the ATP World Tour Finals he has beaten world number four Stanislas Wawrinka and number two Andy Murray, without dropping a set to reach the semi-finals with a match to spare, where he will face world number one Novak Djokovic. Serbia’s Djokovic, who trails Nadal 23-22 but has won all three matches this year, says the 29-year-old is over his slide.

“It’s a fact that he’s been playing better and he’s been raising his level ever since US Open,” Djokovic told reporters after his victory over Tomas Berdych on Thursday.

“You can feel that he’s starting to get comfortable on the court, starting to play better.

“The couple of matches, first couple of matches he played here against Wawrinka and Murray showed that, showed that he feels more confident, shows that he’s starting to miss less, serve efficiently, use his forehand much better.”

Seventeen-times major champion Roger Federer has suffered at the hands of Nadal more than any other player, losing 23 of their 34 contests, and fully expects the Mallorcan to continue his form into 2016, providing he stays fit.

“Maybe for his standard it’s not the best season. What is he going to finish, top five? It’s still a good season,” said the Swiss. “Everybody would take that except maybe a few players at this tournament. The rest would all love to be in his shoes. “I think he’s going to get stronger. With some time to practice and reassess his game, he’s going to be tough to beat in Australia. I believe that.”

Federer repels Nishikori fightback to win group

Roger Federer’s enduring brilliance and his sheer hatred of losing allowed him to withstand a stunning fightback by Kei Nishikori and remain undefeated at the ATP World Tour Finals on Thursday.

The 34-year-old Swiss maestro was on auto-pilot when he led 4-1 in the second set, having snatched an absorbing opener, but needed every shot in his formidable armoury to eventually claw out a 7-5 4-6 6-4 victory.

Japan’s Nishikori had looked the more likely winner after reeling off five consecutive games to take the six-times former champion into a deciding set, but his stirring efforts proved in vain as Federer squeezed home.

Federer topped Stan Smith Group with a 100% record – the ninth time in 14 consecutive appearances at the elite event he has won all three of his round-robin matches.

World number one Novak Djokovic, beaten emphatically by Federer on Tuesday, joined the Swiss in the semi-finals when he beat Tomas Berdych 6-3 7-5 in the evening match at the O2 Arena.

The Serb, bidding for a fourth straight title at the season-ender, could have qualified with a three-set defeat, but took no chances in a businesslike display to finish runner up in the group and set up a clash with a resurgent Rafael Nadal.

Federer will play either Andy Murray or Stanislas Wawrinka who complete the round-robin matches in the Ilie Nastase group on Friday.

Nishikori bowed out, having only managed to beat Berdych, but he got a ringing endorsement from the 34-year-old Federer.