Red Group

1 Federer
4 Coria
6 Ljubicic
8 Nalbandian

Gold Group

2 Nadal
3 Agassi
5 Davydenko
7 Gaudio

The boyfriend didn't get me home on time. I told his ass midnight cuz Federer was gonna be playing. So far he looks pretty good. For being off for a month he looks like the same old Roger. This court is playing VERY fast. I can't wait to see Agassi/Nadal. These conditions will favor Agassi much more. Nadal would prefer a slower court. I can understand why he protested. These quick courts will not play to his advantage.

Great win by Federer. This boys and girls is why he is KING!! Off the court for a month and a half he comes back to ice Nalbandian, who I see now has put on some weight. I had been hearing the commentators mumble about it but it was noticeable tonight. His behind certainly has gotten bigger (not necessarily a bad thing as I like a bit of junk in the trunk) but he needs to start doing some sits ups cuz it was visible in the gut. Those few extra pounds may have helped him beat Federer tonight. Great win by Roger who was brilliant as usual.

Pardon my ignorance guys....what happened to Roddick and Hewitt?

Both pulled out. Roddick with a bad back, not sure if Hewitt was injured, but his wife is expecting their first baby within a few days, so he sat this one out.

I thought Nalbandian looked great last night. Yeah he looks a little heavy, but his tennis was fearless. When he won the second set and broke in the third, it got quite interesting. Federer found another gear, even after 6 weeks off, and pulled through. Great match to watch.

What a rough year for the men's finale. Roddick and Safin (3 and 4) pull out due to injuries. Hewitt wants to be home for the birth of his child. Now Nadal and Agassi are gone on their first day due to injuries (how much does it suck to go all the way to Shanghai and then realize you are not fit to compete). So, I think all five were in the top 6 to qualify. That means that tournament is down to 8 of the top 13 players for the year. They have a couple of alternates on hand, but it has to be hard to just step into the fray.

It does take some of the luster away from the event. It also means that Roger is now the prohibitive favorite despite his lengthy time away from the game after the Open.

Yeah, the men's year-end event is suffering this year. It really lacks for some starpower.

In other bad news, that shirt Coria is wearing is FUGLY.

Fugly is right. I though Ljubicic was playing against Spiderman last night, except Spiderman's outfit is better.

Wow, the event became extra drab overnight, literally. Didn't expect to wake up to this.

It's good that Almodovar fan (hmmm, though I guess he is Spanish) Nadal has the sense to rest though.

The surface looks ridiculous to me -- and actually, I think Ljubicic is going to be extra tough for Federer to beat. That match might supply some drama, though Ljubicic's day-at-the-office demeanor on court makes me groggy.

Watching the Ljubicic-Federer match this morning, Fed just broke Ljub in the third set to go up 3-2; the remarkable difference is the speed of the game compared to the last match I watched--Mauresmo vs Pierce, strikingly different, and just so much excitement. And I'm loving the Chinese audience's genteel responses to the shots. Go FEd.

I'm loving Cliff Drysdale comment about Ljub's play: "he's down here in the third, but it's only one break"--and that's the reason he's down and wondering where his shots are.

Federer plays Ljub 12 feet behind the baseline, side to side then pulls him forward to force the error. But it 30-30 at 5-4 Feder serving. And Feder is playing inside the baseline with Ljub 12 feet behind. Such control and speed. Matchpoint no. 3 Ljub doens't give in, duece. Ad Ljub after a mishit backhand. Another second serve fro mFedex, but Fed moves in so well and puts it away, back to duece. Another econd serve, rally, Ljub's ball hits the top of the net, flies, roger mishits the return, andother ad Ljub. Another second serve. And he gets it!!! 5 all in the third, maybe Cliff was on to something saying it's only one break.

Ljub serves, first point Ljub. And Ljub is getting his serve in. 30-0. Another great serve 40-0. Ljub sails one long, 40-15. Short service game, 6-5 Ljub.

Roger gets his first serve in, 15-0. Second serve, and doesn't get to the volley, 15 all. First serve in, Fed to net and having to defend three shots at net and Ljub get the point 15-30. Good serve, 30 all. Another good serve (why not the last service game?) 40-30. Tiebreak.

First point to Federer when Ljub's ball fails to come over the net. Federer serves for his point, 2-0. 3-0. Federer stretching, Ljuib serves, 3-1. Ace 3-2. 4-2. Second serve, and he sails the return of the return, back on serve 4-3. Ljub terrific wide serve, 4-4. And Ljub pushes one wide, 5-4, Federer to serve, 6-4, matchpoint number four with a brilliant 'vintage' backhand. Ljub is none to happy. Great pullout for Federer. The women are crazy mad for him.

I can't believe Gaudio won that match. Fernando looked so good the day before, and for the first half of the match. Some of the shots he missed were just atrocious, particularly a couple of overheads.

Nalbandian is playing very, very good tennis. He played beautifully against Federer as well as Ljubicic, but it wasn't quite enough. When you see him like this, it really makes you wonder why he doesn't win more. I bet Coria wishes he had been in the other group--he probably would have made the semis.

One thing about all the pullouts putting a bunch of claycourt guys in the Masters Cup: tons of dropshots. It leads to some very entertaining points, especially as most of these guys are not that good at putting away the shots at the net.

what about davydenko? i thought he played very good games lately, especially against gaudio and puerta

speaking about puerta, is it just me or is he playing a bit carelessly?

Wow, Federer defeats Gaudio 6-0 6-0. Ouch! That's gotta hurt. Federer seems well on his way to matching McEnroe's 82-3 record in 84'. Overall such a disappointing Master's Cup with the depleted field. Hopefully Nalby can give him a good match like he did in the round robin.

Yeah, Davydenko is playing fairly well, too, but you have to get two spots in that group and Gaudio really hasn't impressed me much here (and I didn't even see the SF match!).

I like Nalbandian but I want Federer to win, 1, to tie that record and 2, to even his head-to-head with David.

Go Roger!

By the way, does anyone know Roger's Win-Loss record from last year? Did he lose more and have fewer titles?

Although both are awesome, Hall of Fame years, which year is considered the better year? 2004, with 3 Majors, the Masters Cup, a 3rd Round loss at the French Open and a slew of titles or 2005, with 2 Majors, possibly the Masters Cup, a Semifinal showing at the French Open, more Master's Series titles, like Miami and fewer losses?

I'd probably say last year based on the extra Slam.

Federer beat Gaudio love and love. That is DISGRACEFUL! No one who qualifies or happens to be close enough to get in by someone's withdraw should be beaten love and love. Either Gaudio had some "issues" goin on or Federer was just in the zone. Either way...damn Gaudio..you couldn't get a game??? Not one??!!! Pathetic

I think it calls into question the usual claim that men's tennis has more depth than women's. Granted, Federer is in a class by himself -- man or woman, any sport in the world -- but still. Also, the women don't have surface specialists to the extent the men do. I don't think that much of Gaudio unless he's on clay.

Wow, I'm watching some of Feds vs Gaudio and boy is this embarrassing. ITA with you ltskinmdterp, this was an utterly disgraceful effort. I don't care what surface it is, this is the year ending championships and he just tanked it. I wonder what the Shanghai organizers are thinking about their decision to hold this event now. This was perhaps the weakest Master's event of the year and it should've been the strongest. Sad, because this is usually one of the best events of the year.

What a crazy 5th set!

What 5th set? It was 6-0, 6-0 over Gaudio.

I think Andrea is referring to the final between Nalbandian and Federer.

SPOILER-IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE RESULT OF THE FINAL, READ NO FURTHER!!!!!!!

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Nalbandian stuns Federer, coming back from 2 sets down, 6-7 (4), 6-7 (11), 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (3).

Damn Roger!!!! I want to attribute this to Federer's ankle injury which I'm sure has not rehabbed to 100% but he did lead 6-5 in the fifth and served for it. AND....was up 2 sets to 1. I was shocked when I looked in the sports section and saw that Davide upset Federer. I bet Federer has to be disappointed. I mean usually in finals its as good as a done deal when it comes to Roger. Plus, Davide denied him in sharing the record with McEnroe for the most successful season. UGH!!!!! Some players just have your number or play your really well. Davide seems to really be able to either get in Federer's head or just something about his game that he's able to stay with Federer.

As FireMikeTiceNow suggested, I was referring to the final (I haven't posted the full result because maybe someone hasn't watched it yet; maybe I shouldn't have posted that comment too).
The final set was so unpredictable: Nalbandian was leading 4-0 30-0, then Federer caught him back to level 4-4. Federer served for the match (he was up 6-5 30-0) just to lose at the tie-break.

[ November 20, 2005, 10:24 AM: Message edited by: andrea ]

So do I -- especially after just making that comment about the lack of depth in men's tennis! I must have jinxed him.

God, has anyone ever come back after losing the first two sets in tiebreaks before? You've got to give Nalbandian major props for still being in the match. Great to see him finally win something.

I haven't seen the match yet, but intuitively, it sounds like Roger was just exhausted after the first two sets and expended his last burst of energy tying it up in the fifth.

MAN!!! i wanted federer to win SO BADLY.

but man i was impressed my nalbandian. he was so close at the first two sets and nailed the other two.

then i was so happy that federer finished well that they had to go to a tiebreaker in the end.

btw, i want to massage federer's legs too. who was that guy in gray?! i want his job!

btw, isnt the davis cup coming up soon? does anyone know the schedule for that?

You can tell by my moniker that I'm a Federer fan- but boy did "Daveed" deserve his wine. Manly play all around.

A very shocking result yesterday. Didn't get to see the match--god, could hardly find any of the tournament of tv, but logged on yesterday morning to see the score and was floored at the results. I knew he had to lose sometime, and actually thought the storybooks were going to be written at the US Open when he played Agassi and Agassi would go out with a big win; but for Federer loss to come on the last match of the year, in a fifth set tiebreak is just the stuff of legend--it would have been even greater had he won. Now it's on to a new tear.

From what I saw of the match this may have been the best tennis that Nalbandian has played, ever, in my opinion. I mean he was right there toe to toe with Federer, and even had to withstand some bad umpiring as well. He deserved the win.

Nalbandian played great all week - even in losing to Federer in the round robin. I was expecting the final to be a good match, given their history and how well David was playing. But after Roger won those first two sets in the breakers, I never could have imagined Nalbandian coming all the way back ... particularly with a fifth set drama fest like that.

Great match. Great play by both men. And what a fantastic win for David Nalbandian!