Tennis

Roger Federer overcame an erratic forehand and Fernando Verdasco on Sunday, rallying to beat his Spanish opponent 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the round-robin stage of the ATP World Tour Finals. The top-ranked Federer was broken only once — in the opening game of the Group A match after double-faulting on the first point — but he never looked dominating until late in the second set when he converted his first break point to even the score at one set apiece. In the third set at the O2 Arena, Federer was... Read Full Story

World number one Roger Federer is looking forward to the chance for revenge over home favourite Andy Murray in the ATP World Tour Finals in London on Tuesday. Federer suffered a costly defeat to Murray in the group stage of the end-of-season event when it was held in Shanghai last year. The Swiss star was eliminated from the tournament as a result of that 6-4, 6-7, 5-7 loss - ending his two-year reign as Tour Finals champion. It was not the first time that Murray had upset Federer - the Scot... Read Full Story

LONDON (Reuters) - Andy Murray marked the beginning of London's five-year hosting of the ATP Tour Finals with a 6-3 3-6 6-2 win over U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in front of 17,500 fans inside the spectacular o2 Arena on Sunday. The Briton withstood a ferocious comeback by Argentine Del Potro, who lost the opening five games, to open his account in Group A which also contains world number one Roger Federer and Fernando Verdasco who play later. After thumping rock music and... Read Full Story

Andy Murray has won his opening group match of the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals, beating Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. The win on Sunday improves Murray's chances of advancing from the round-robin phase to the semifinals of the lucrative eight-player tournament. Del Potro double-faulted to set up two match points for Murray. The Briton converted the second with a backhand winner. Murray took a 5-0 lead in the first set before Del Potro found his rhythm. The Argentine then... Read Full Story

World number one Roger Federer dug deep to begin his ATP World Tour Finals campaign with a hard-fought 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 victory over Spain's Fernando Verdasco on Sunday. Federer briefly faced the unpalatable prospect of a third successive defeat as Verdasco took the first set in commanding style. But the Wimbledon champion, who had lost his previous two matches in Basel and Paris, edged a tight second set before hitting his stride to take the final set with ease. Collecting his record-breaking... Read Full Story

Jarmila Groth will become eligible to play for Australia after she is officially granted citizenship this week, Tennis Australia said on Sunday. The Slovak-born Groth, 22, who is married to Australian tennis professional Sam Groth, will be sworn in during a special ceremony in Canberra on Monday, TA said. "It?s a dream come true and I am incredibly excited and proud to become a citizen of this great nation, whose people have welcomed me so warmly and have made me feel at home since the very... Read Full Story

Hamlin wins race, Johnson wins title HOMESTEAD, Fla., Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Denny Hamlin won Sunday's Sprint Cup 400 at Homestead, Fla., but Jimmie Johnson won his fourth straight points title in the season-ending race. Johnson had an advantage after winning the pole Friday and finished fifth. His boss, Rick Hendrick, the head of Hendrick Motorsports, missed the race due to an undisclosed family emergency. Hamlin's victory was his fourth in 2009. Jeff Burton's second-place finish was his... Read Full Story

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will stage the last chapter of their battle to finish the year as world number one when the ATP Tour Finals get under way in London on Sunday. Federer goes into the Tour Finals at the O2 Arena top of the world rankings, but the Wimbledon champion knows second placed Nadal can still snatch first place if the Spaniard wins the prestigious end-of-year event. The race for pole position is the latest installment of an enthralling rivalry between two of the sport's... Read Full Story

Andy Murray has vowed to underline his credentials to become a grand slam champion by winning the ATP World Tour Finals in London. Murray has lifted six ATP Tour titles this year but the British number one will end the year still waiting to win his first grand slam crown. The 22-year-old's failure to translate his undoubted talent into victory at any of the four majors has led some to question whether he will ever be able make the breakthrough. The closest he came this year was at Wimbledon... Read Full Story

LONDON (Reuters) - Roger Federer held court in a swish hotel on the banks of the River Thames on Friday and left nobody in any doubt he was determined to become only the second male player to reclaim the year-end number one spot. The Swiss 15-times grand slam champion can finish the year in what he feels is his rightful place with a strong showing at the ATP Tour World Finals which begin their five-year residence in London on Sunday. Should he hold off Rafael Nadal, the man who ended his... Read Full Story