2016 ATP World Tour Finals

Murray Claims Year End #1 Ranking with ATP Finals Triumph
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

A sudden rise at the end of the season propelled Andy Murray to his first ever year end #1 ranking, and he capped it all off in a showdown with Novak Djokovic, the long time world #1 in the finals of the 2016 ATP World Tour Finals. In a 6-3 6-4 upset, Murray won just his second match of the season against Djokovic as the Serbian continued his late season slide, compared to his usually lofty standards.

Murray finished the year by winning 25 straight matches, a remarkable blitz that included two Masters titles, and six top 10 wins. He’s a fitting world #1 after claiming the Wimbledon title, and the Olympic gold medal this year, along with nine titles overall, and three Masters titles overall, across all of the ATP surfaces. It was quite special to him to be able to clinch the #1 ranking in front of a home crowd in London.

Djokovic finished the year with seven titles, including two Grand Slams and four Masters titles. He found form to defeat David Goffin, Milos Raonic, Dominic Thiem, and Kei Nishikori in the World Tour Finals. Murray beat Stan Wawrinka, Nishikori, Marin Cilic, and Raonic in a third set tiebreak.

Henri Kontinen and John Peers beat Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram in the doubles final. Bruno Soares and Jamie Murray finish the year as the top ranked doubles team, marking the first time brothers have been #1 in doubles and singles, with Andy and Jamie Murray achieving that feat. Nicolas Mahut is the world’s #1 doubles player in his own right.

The ATP top 10 in singles is Murray, Djokovic, Raonic, Wawrinka, Nishikori, Cilic, Gael Monfils, Thiem, Rafael Nadal, and Tomas Berdych, marking the first time players from different countries have made up the entire top 10.

Four players, Alexander Zverev, Borna Coric, Karen Khachanov and Taylor Fritz will finish the year inside the top 100 under the age of 21. Meanwhile the ATP continues to be a veteran’s sport, as sixteen players 33 years of age or older are inside the top 100.

2016 ATP World Tour Finals Preview and Predictions
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The final ATP tournament of the season, the year end celebration that is the World Tour Finals, takes place with a field of eight doubles teams, and eight singles players. Here is a look at the field in London with predictions for the final result of the year.

Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
London, Great Britain
November 13-20, 2016
Surface: Indoor Hard
Prize Money: $7,500,000

The Field
Group 1: Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, Marin Cilic
Group 2: Novak Djokovic, Gael Monfils, Milos Raonic, Dominic Thiem

The new world #1 Andy Murray gets the far tougher group as Wawrinka, Nishikori, and Cilic are some of the most dangerous players in the field. World #2 Djokovic is in a group without any Grand Slam winners, and Raonic is probably the second toughest player in the group if he’s healthy.

Group 1 Predictions
Murray d. Cilic in 3, Nishikori in 2, Wawrinka in 3 (3-0 in matches, 6-2 in sets)
Cilic d. Nishikori in 3, Wawrinka in 3 (2-1 in matches, 5-4 in sets)
Nishikori d. Wawrinka in 3 (1-2 in matches, 3-4 in sets)
Wawrinka 0-3 in matches 3-6 in sets

Murray is on a red hot winning streak, and despite Cilic and Wawrinka likely being able to challenge him, I see him toughing out his matches. Cilic’s strong recent form should propel him to advance from the group, while Wawrinka struggled at the end of the season, and Nishikori looks to be the man in the middle.

Group 2 Predictions
Djokovic d. Thiem in 2, Monfils in 2, Raonic in 3 (3-0 in matches, 6-1 in sets)
Raonic d. Monfils in 3, Thiem in 2 (Raonic 2-1 in matches, 5-2 in sets)
Thiem d. Monfils in 3 (Thiem 1-2 in matches, 2-5 in sets)
Monfils 0-3 in matches, 2-6 in sets

Djokovic is in a weak group, so despite his recent struggles he should ease past Thiem and Monfils, and also beat Raonic. Presuming Raonic is healthy, he’ll be the favorite against Monfils and Thiem, both of whom struggled at the end of the season, despite being worthy contenders in the WTFs this year. Thiem should finish third in the group with a win over Monfils.

Semifinals
Murray d. Raonic in 2
Djokovic d. Cilic in 3

Murray and Djokovic should be the clear favorites to matchup in the final ATP match of the season.