Photo: @filippeliwo

Photo: @SkySportsTennis

ARTICLES:

• Nadal Sets Sights On Elusive Title (via ATP)

… “This is the title I’m missing,” said the top-seeded Spaniard on Monday in London. “I wish I could get this title.” “Always it’s great to be here,” said the World No. 1. “You’re here because you worked very well during the last 10 months. It’s a present to be here. Happy to be back after I missed last year. It’s a special tournament in a very special stadium. I’m excited to play in this stadium again.”

• Previewing Tuesday’s Matches at the ATP World Tour Finals (via Tennis View Magazine)

… Having watched the Monday matches, it is evident that the conditions in the 02 Arena are relatively slow. Nadal and Ferrer are both great defenders, and the slower court should aid them in fighting off the bigger hitters… The slower court should make it increasingly difficult for Ferrer to implement these tactics and easier for Nadal to defend against them. Look for Nadal to try to obtain more free points with his sliding lefty serve than he did last week.

• Rafael Nadal calls for surface change at World Tour Finals (via ESPN)

… “The Tour Finals have been indoors from 2005 until now, so I am a bit unlucky with this. For me it is more fair to have it outdoors on different surfaces,” he said. “In this tournament we qualify by playing on all surfaces, but the Tour Finals are always on hard courts. “I know it won’t happen in my generation. It’s not for me. I say it for the next generation and because it would be interesting for the fans.”

• Nadal wants different surfaces for ATP finale; Djokovic backs tournament move (via SI.com)
• Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are kings of tennis, but they need help saving the sport (via oregonlive.com)

…  Two guys stand at the baseline and heave themselves at the ball, over and over and over. The power and athleticism are obvious to the naked eye, but the poetry and stylistic contrasts — the things that made tennis the hot, rising sport in the 1970s and ’80s — are now mostly hidden from view.

• Pre-tournament presser in Spanish – audio: “Las opciones de ganar el Masters se van terminando” (via tennistopic.com)
• ATP World Tour Finals breakdown (via ESPN)
• Nine reasons the ATP World Tour Finals is the best tournament of the year (via CNN World Sport)

VIDEOS:

• Rafael Nadal practised at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals with Filip Peliwo on Monday
• Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea: Why Rafael Nadal is my favourite-ever athlete

PHOTOS: 

Barclays ATP World Tour Finals: Rafael Nadal Press Conference

Meanwhile last night in Paris… Before they both headed to London, Roger and Rafa had dinner in commiseration of their losses earlier in the day. Onwards to London! 🙂

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