From Davydenko to Medvedev, the Russian squad in London tennisnet.com

So that was it for the ATP Finals in London. The end of the year tournament will be held in Turin starting next year. We dare to make a very subjective review.

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One of Daniil Medvedev’s first supporters after his triumph in the final of the ATP Finals in London against Dominic Thiem contacted directly from the studio of the Russian station: Nikolai Davydenko, winner of the premiere in London 2009, led Medvedev to congratulate on the phone. A Russian victory at the beginning, one at the end of the London era: Davydenko and Medvedev have a support for more than a decade of first-class tennis at the O2 Arena.

It’s time to reflect before the tennis circus somehow creeps into the year 2021. And then celebrate the end of the year in a new setting in Turin …

– None of the last four ATP Finals champions won a Grand Slam tournament before or after the victory in London. For Alexander Zverev (2018 winner), Stefanos Tsitsipas (2019) and Daniil Medvedev (2020) this seems like a matter of time. For Grigor Dimitrov (2017), the train could have already gone in this sense.

– Then Novak Djokovic was standing at the O2 Arena on Sunday of the 2014 final and received the trophy for the fourth time. But not after the long-awaited big fight against Roger Federer. But without fighting. The Swiss, who had fought a tremendously emotional duel with compatriot Stan Wawrinka the day before (to be precise, Mirka Federer was the reason for Wawrinka’s discontent), could not compete due to back problems. This tormented Federer in the Davis Cup final in France a few days later. However, the Swiss won the most important team title in tennis for the first time. With an important victory of the Federer / Wawrinka double.

– In 2016 there was the only home win by an individual. Andy Murray defeated Novak Djokovic in the final and spent the winter as world number one. In the weeks and months leading up to the final in London, Murray had put a lot, probably too much, into his body. The Scotsman had to pay tribute to the immense effort, in early 2019 he more or less announced his resignation at the Australian Open, which was followed by a comeback in June last year.

– Only two players managed to defend their title in London during the twelve years of the tournament: Roger Federer won in 2010 and 2011. After that, Novak Djokovic set the tone for four years in a row. Until Andy Murray stopped him in the 2016 final.

– Brackets could no longer close in doubles: Bob and Mike Bryan were the first winners in London, the two legendary Americans finished their careers this summer. And they were present at the tennis ace’s last appearance at the O2: as the namesake of the two groups in which doubles were played.

Here are the winners of the ATP Finals since 2009