Djokovic, Murray set up historic final in London

LONDON — Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray set up a dream shootout for year-end No. 1 as each won contrasting semifinals at the World Tour Finals on Saturday.

Djokovic booked his spot in the winner-take-all final today with scant effort as he hammered Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-1 in a mere 66 minutes.

Murray, by contrast, was tested to the limit as he won a recordbreaking match 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (11-9) over Milos Raonic.

The semifinal went for more than 31⁄2 hours. Playing for the top ranking in the last match of a season has never happened in the history of ATP play.

Current No. 1 Murray needed three hours of post-match treatment. “Obviously, the body is a bit sore after such a long match, but mentally it was tiring, too,” he said.

The elite pair will play for the fifth time this season, with Djokovic leading 3-1. Djokovic roared into the final with some of his best form in months.

Murray and Raonic tested each other throughout their marathon, with Murray standing a set and a break down and two points from defeat in the second-set tiebreaker in front of 18,000.

The home -crowd favourite, who had beaten his Canadian opponent for London titles this season at Queen’s club and Wimbledon, was twice unable to serve out the win in the third set as the struggle went to a tiebreaker after four consecutive breaks of serve.

The Canadian, who has lost his last eight matches against Murray including six this season, ends his campaign disappointed, but pleased with overall progress as he solidifies his top 10 standing.

“I really tried to, in the best way possible, leave it all out there,” Raonic said.

“I turned it around for myself twice there at the end of the third. I just did everything I could, everything that was within me, at least to really try to win. It’s that simple.”