London: Six-time champion Roger Federer will cross swords with four-time defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic to renew their rivalry in the singles final of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena on Sunday.
Federer shrugged off countryman Stan Wawrinka with a calculated 7-5, 6-3 win in a repeat of last year’s semi-finals, after Djokovic thrashed Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-3 in the earlier match.
In last year’s semi-finals, the two Swiss players had battled for two hours and 48 minutes at the O2 Arena with Wawrinka holding four match points in the final set. But Federer had done enough for a 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (6) victory and then eventually went down to Djokovic in the final the next day.
Sunday’s final, however, will be played on a different tone as Federer had secured an authoritative straight-sets win against Djokovic in their round-robin match earlier in the week.
In Saturday’s second semi-finals it was Wawrinka who was the more adventurous of the two as he broke first in the fifth and then held for a 4-2 cushion. But Federer broke back in the eighth for 4-4 and then one a second break in the 12th game when Wawrinka netted an easy forehand to take the opening set 7-5 in 36 minutes.
In the second set things were pretty much clearer as Federer broke in the second for an early 3-0 cushion. After that it was all one-way traffic as Federer registered a second break in the seventh to walk away with game, set and match 6-2.
Sunday’s final promises to be an engrossing affair despite Federer’s win in straight sets against Djokovic during the round-robin stages. During the course of the season, Federer has won six titles and the Swiss ace has a 6-4 record in finals with all four losses coming against Djokovic – Indian Wells, Rome Masters, Wimbledon and US Open.
However, the Swiss is also the only player who has been able to defeat Djokovic on three occasions so far this year – Dubai, Cincinnati and earlier this week at the O2.
Sunday will see the doubles final from 3.30 pm (7.30pm UAE) between Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea and the new world number ones Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau, followed by the singles final between Federer and Djokovic at 6pm (10pm UAE).
