Roger Federer battles to straight-sets victory in first group match against Jack Sock at the ATP Finals as Rafael Nadal receives world No 1 trophy
- Roger Federer battled past Jack Sock to win his first Boris Becker Group match
- The world No 2 took the first set comfortably but had to battle for the second
- The American Sock put up a determined fight and took the Swiss to a tie-breaker
- But he couldn't stop Federer from completing a straight-sets victory 6-4, 7-6 (4)
- After the game Rafael Nadal was invited out on court to receive the No 1 trophy
- The Spaniard said he will play his first ATP Finals game against David Goffin
The near annual transformation of the 02 Arena into Zurich-on-Thames was restored as Roger Federer took his bow at the Nitto ATP Finals.
His legion of followers, not just the usual slew of visitors from his homeland, were rewarded by seeing him defeat Jack Sock, the lowliest qualifier for this eight-man event, 6-4 7-6(4) in his opening group match.
It was not entirely straightforward as Federer missed five break points in the second set and was taken to 4-4 in the tiebreak. However, he will have been pleased by not having faced a break point himself all match.
Roger Federer had too much quality in the end for Jack Sock to beat him at the ATP Tour finals
Despite his advanced years Federer began the event as 4-6 favourite to win it, far ahead of Rafael Nadal, who plays tomorrow.
The winners of the last five years, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, are absent through injury and few relish playing indoors more than the great Swiss, who himself was not here twelve months ago as he had, similarly, ended his season early.
Sock’s presence owed itself to Stan Wawrinka also being on the injured list, and he only made his late dash into the field by winning the Paris Masters last Sunday.
The World No 2 came out at the O2 Arena to a chorus of cheers on Sunday afternoon
The Swiss started well and took a comfortable 6-4 victory in the opening set
First time players at this tournament rarely prosper, and Sock was immediately a break down before finding his range to match the Swiss, whose backhand was on crowd-pleasing form.
But the American No 1 from Kansas could not force a break point, even though he came close in the seventh game. That was when he miscued a dropshot to leave himself a sitting duck at the net, and even invited Federer to aim at his bottom by turning his back and sticking it out as a target.
Federer then showed he was human by trying to glide the ball past him, and managed only to stick it in the net.
Jack Sock, who is the lowest seed in the competition, struggled for form at the start of the tie
But the American fought back strongly and took the second set to a tie-break
Federer, who was making his 11th season finale appearance, kept his composure to win it 7-4
Sock was left ruing his chances after missing a golden opportunity to lead the tie-break
Federer celebrated at the end after winning his first Boris Becker Group game 6-4, 7-6 (4)
Having wrapped up the first set with relative ease he should have broken when creating two break points at 3-3 in the second. Two more were saved at 4-4 and then another at 5-5 as the American – the first from the States to play singles here in six years – fended off the pressure.
But the telling blow came in the tiebreak at 4-4 when Sock double faulted for the sixth time, and from there Federer, who had started to look slightly alarmed, closed it out for 7-4.
Having missed Paris to save himself for this week, there was little evidence to suggest he will not make the final a week on Sunday.
After Federer's win Rafael Nadal was invited on to court to be presented with the No 1 trophy
Nadal, who returns to the No 1 spot for the first since June 2014, kissed it and posed for snaps
The Spaniard confirmed he will play his first ATP Finals match against David Goffin on Monday
His rival Rafael Nadal came out on court after Federer had completed the win to be presented with the world No 1 trophy.
The Spaniard, who returned to the No 1 spot for the first since June 2014, kissed the trophy and lifted it in the air.
Nadal also confirmed he would compete in his first ATP Finals match against David Goffin on Monday night after the presentation.
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