Day Two of the Nitto ATP Finals in London featured round robin matches from Group Guga Kuerten
Group Guga Kuerten
Novak Djokovic (1)
Sascha Zverev (3)
Marin Cilic (5)
John Isner (8)
Group Lleyton Hewitt
Roger Federer (2)
Kevin Anderson (4)
Dominic Thiem (6)
Kei Nishikori (7)
Day Two round robin matches
Sascha Zverev (3) defeated Marin Cilic (5)
It was Cilic who started the better on the scoreboard, although his 3-0 lead was hard fought. He attacked the Zverev forehand to achieve the initial service break, and held three break points for a 4-0 advantage.
Zverev prevented this, and stuck close to the Croatian, forcing him to serve for the set.
Failing on this task, with backhand errors and a double fault, Cilic allowed Zverev into a tie break where the German attained control of the set, winning it on his third chance 7-6(5).
Cilic could have been in serious trouble in set two, but saved break points in the second and sixth games. He then took the lead, breaking Zverev in the seventh game.
No denying the third seed though, who won two games on the trot, and Cilic at 4-5 needed to hold serve to stay in the match.
30-0 became match point after two netted shots off the Cilic racquet, and a splendid Zverev forehand return winner.
The match point was saved and a second tie break was required.
Cilic found a whole lot of unforced errors just when they were unwelcome, and Zverev was 5-1 in a flash.
A backhand down the line and an unreturned serve finished the match with Sascha Zverev the victor 7-6(5) 7-6(1)
Novak Djokovic (1) defeated John Isner (8)
Djokovic is one player who can handle the huge serving of Isner, and he certainly showed how in a master class of returning in this match.
Ironically it was the world number one who opened with two love service games, while Isner struggled, having to stave off break points in each of his first three games from the line.
The American was successful for two games but Djokovic broke the serve in game five, and consolidated to lead 4-2.
The set was Serbian 6-4.
Djokovic had won 21 of 25 points on his serve, and three of the four points lost were in one game.
Set two was more of the same, with Djokovic hitting winners from all over the court, and returning more of Isner’s serves than is seemingly possible, and at least placing a racquet on many of the ones not returned.
And the serving, while not menacing with pace, was immaculate in placement, pushing Isner wide and back and to positions of awkwardness resulting in 16 points won from 18 serves delivered.
Still not facing a break point in the match, and cracking open the Isner serve twice, Novak Djokovic won the second set and the match 6-4 6-3, sounding an ominous warning to the other seven in this tournament.
The final forehand passing shot, the 22nd winner for Djokovic, was an exquisite reminder of the form he has been in since July.
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