rogerfederer.com - Final in London

Final in London

Roger has just completed a comprehensive victory over Andy Murray 7-6(5),6-2 in the semi-final phase of the Barclays ATP tournament in London. Our Champ went back to the basics he knows so well with his serve and volley game backed up by impeccable baseline play and Murray just crumbled in the second set. He now meets Djokovic in the final tomorrow.

Roger produced another of the supremely dominant displays he seems to reserve for this tournament as he cruised past Murray in one hour and 33 minutes with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 win at London's O2 Arena and the Swiss great is now one win away from completing a hat-trick of titles at the prestigious season-ending event.While the two venues couldn't be more different, the 17-time Grand Slam champion seems just as in his element under the O2 Arena's domed roof as he does on Wimbledon's Centre Court.

Roger said "It was a special match. It was the third time in London this year for the two of us and the crowd was electric. You really made it for both of us. I have been around the block a few times and that was something. I can't thank you enough for that. You can't tire of nights like this. That is why I keep practising in front of no people, it inspires you to keep working hard."

In his gold medal victory at the All England Club, Murray had set the tone for his straight sets win by grabbing the initiative from the start and he was clearly determined to do the same again. It looked as though the British number one might be able to deliver his home crowd another glorious sporting moment to finish off an extraordinary 2012. He began in aggressive fashion, while our Champ was spraying his usually devastating forehand all round the O2 Arena, with an error on that side handing Murray an immediate break. But, rather than triggering a period of Murray dominance, that was simply the cue for an absorbing battle to break out. It only served to heighten a feverish atmosphere as Federer's huge army of fans more than held their own among the 17,800 spectators. Murray was racing away with the set and Roger did well to claw his way back from 0-30 at 3-1 down, and that escape appeared to shift the momentum. It needed several heavy serves around the 135mph mark to keep Murray ahead in game six, but with his forehand now finding their targets Roger got back on level terms at 4-4. The 31-year-old Swiss was now in charge, pushing for another break before recovering a 3-1 deficit in a tense tie-break. Another superb forehand got him back to 3-3 and the pressure began to tell on Murray, who swiped his racquet in anger after an error handed Roger two set points. Murray's excellent start was long forgotten now and the Scot crept past Roger’s 14 unforced errors by giving up a 15th on set point. After a 62-minute opening set, the second flashed by in 33 minutes as the Champ got into full flow. With the momentum firmly in his favour, Roger was able to unveil the full range of his arsenal in the second set and the end came with the 17-time Grand Slam champion swarming all over the net.

"I knew that if I lost today it's the end of the season, so I gave everything I had and couldn't be more happy," Roger said on court after the match. Roger remains on course for a seventh ATP Tour Finals title to set up a final showdown with Novak Djokovic.