The race to the O2

ATP Tour Finals

The ATP Tour finals are mens' tennis 5th biggest tournament, after the 4 grand slams (Australian, French, Wimbledon and US).

The tournament has run since 1970, but has changed format in the years since.

The current format, features the top 8 ranked players in the world (in the Race to London rankings), well kind of. There is an exemption for a grand slam winner outside of the top 8, so technically the qualifiers are the Grand slam winners, and then the next top ranked players, until the top 8 spots are filled.

In the current era of dominance, of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, there hasn't been any need for the technicality. However, Marin Cilic's win at the US Open, opened up the possibility that the technicality maybe needed.

As it happens Cilic is currently ranked 6th in the Race to London rankings, so it shouldn't be an issue.

However, Andy Murray's tough year has meant after the US open he faced a tough road to qualify for the season finale in London.

Rankings

The top 4 are the same in both rankings, but Murray's win in Valencia has propelled him into 5th in the Race to London, but he is 8th in the ATP rankings, which are based on more tournaments.

Murray is determined to be present in London, and will be helped by Nadal's absence, as he now only has to make the top 9.

His determination to reach London, can be seen, by adding Vienna to his schedule after his exit in Shanghai to David Ferrer. He avenged that defeat by Ferrer, by beating Ferrer in the Vienna final, securing 250 points.

Valencia Open

Murray hasn't had it easy in his attempts to qualify for the ATP Tour Finals. In Valencia, he had to beat Fabio Fognini (19th), Kevin Anderson (17th), David Ferrer (5th) and finally Tommy Robredo (21st).

The final against Robredo, was especially tough. Murray has had a difficult year, after overcoming his back injury. His schedule has been packed, playing 5 tournaments in as many weeks, in contrast to Federer and Djokovic, who have played only 2.

The Final

The final was a repeat of the Shenzen Open Final, that Murray won 5-7, 7-6, 6-1, after Robredo had held 5 match points.

From the first point of the match, it promised to be a gruelling encounter, a 23 shot rally, ended with Murray netting. Robredo took the first set 6-3, as Murray looked increasingly fatigued.

Murray found some form in the 2nd set breaking Robredo, to take a 4-2 lead, but Robredo fought back, broke back and was 1 game away from winning. However, Murray often plays his best when on the edge of defeat, and he served out to love. A tie-break ensued and Robredo had two match points, the first of which Robredo pushed a forehand long, and the 2nd was saved by a Murray ace.

Murray took his chance and won the second set.

The third set, was like the last round of a heavyweight boxing match, both players almost out on their feet. The 3rd set went to a tie-break, almost inevitably so, as there was little between the two players.

Murray fought off another 3 match points, to finally prevail over Robredo and the partisan crowd.

Watch the highlights below (skip to the end to see Robredo's frustration at losing a 2nd ATP final to Murray, with 5 match points in each final).

Barring unlikely outcomes, Murray is guaranteed to be at the O2 Arena in November, a well deserved reward, for some hard work in the late season. Indeed, if this season was a course Murray would scrape a pass, as a result of some last minute desperate cramming.

For Murray to not make, London, Murray would have to get knocked out early on at the Paris Masters, then Raonic and Dimitrov would both have to make the final, with Dimitrov winning. (note Murray can finish 9th in the race to London rankings and still qualify as Nadal has pulled out of the finals).

Monday news - post weekend blues - 13th October

The weekend that was

F1

Whilst many thoughts in F1 stayed with Jules Bianchi, who remains in critical condition in Japan, the race at Sochi in Russia went ahead.

The axis of evil?

Indeed, the weekend was not just uneasy because of the horrific Bianchi crash in Suzuka, but the sight of Bernie Ecclestone and Vladimir Putin, sends shivers up most people's spines.

However, the race did go ahead, and whilst the first few laps were eventful, the rest of the race was a procession.

The circuit was very unabrasive and meant that there were very few tyre issues, and that only one pit stop was necessary, even if that pit stop was on lap 1 for instance.

The circuit also played into the hands of the speed focused cars, and indeed the results show clearly that it was a performance based race, aside from Alonso and Massa, the cars came in 2 by 2, Noah would have been proud!

The main story of the race, was the very first corner. Although Hamilton had a good start, Rosberg got the run on him and went to pass Hamilton, however Rosberg was carrying too much speed and locked up both the front tyres and passed both Hamilton and the corner.

This ultimately cost Rosberg the race win, although the nature of the surface in Sochi, meant he could pit on lap 1 to ditch the tyres he'd shredded and go all the way on the harder compound tyre.

Massa did the opposite, started on the harder tyre and pitted one lap in for a set of softs, Williams must be ruing that strategy, as Massa ultimately finished outside the points, surely in hindsight, they could have started on the soft and pitted after one lap, and then gone all the way, a la Rosberg.

The other performances of note, were Button once again beating Magnussen, Alonso beating the Red Bulls and the dramatic fall of the Toro Rossos. Kvyat produced a great qualifying performance to start 5th, but by the end of the first lap was 10th. They clearly compromised race performance for qualifying, and paid the price.

Cycling - Paris Tours

Known as the sprinters classic, Paris Tours is the last big one-day race on the calendar, although the UCI may not agree, as it is only on the UCI Europe tour and not the UCI World tour.

Nevertheless, the race provides great intrigue, with a balance between sprinters fighting for one last win and the barondeurs, breakaway riders, taking a chance for a win.

Gurner par extrordinaire - Thomas Voeckler

It was the breakaway riders who prevailed, Voeckler and Jelle Wallays went in the early break, and were the only ones left by the end. A lack of cohesion in the bunch behind, caused by crashes, rain, attacks on short sharp hills and a lack of willingness from any team other than Giant-Shimano, lead to a straight out sprint between Voeckler and Wallays.

Wallays prevailed and Voeckler was left pulling faces. Indeed Voeckler ends the season winless, the first time since 2002. Voeckler also showed a lack of class but failing to turn up for the podium, and lost his prize money as a result.

Football

There was very little football on display on Sunday, I missed the match, although miss is probably the wrong word to use.

Predictably, it was a poor match, which in truth, most qualifiers are, due to the gulf in class between the sides in the competition. It is mainly a training ground exercise where England have to break down the other side.

Eventually Rooney prevailed with a free-kick in the 73rd minute, from the edge of the box.

Job done for England 6 points from 2 games, bring on the Premiership next week.

Rugby League

If the NRL (Australian Rugby League competition) showed the guts of Rugby League, with Sam Burgess playing the whole game with a fractured cheekbone, the Super League Grand final, showed the gutlessness, as Ben Flower of Wigan, retaliating to a forearm from Lance Hohaia of St Helens , knocked down Hohaia and proceeded to add another blow for good measure as his opponent lay stricken.

Flower was sent off for his reckless act,  and Wigan manfully took the lead, but ultimately St Helens won.

Monday news - post weekend blues

Review of the weekend that was

Formula 1 - Japanese Grand Prix

Jules Bianchi - a member of the Ferrari young drivers programme

Unfortunately, the biggest news at the weekend, was the serious crash involving Marussia driver Jules Bianchi.

Bianchi is in intensive care, after having brain surgery, following a horrific crash at the Japanese circuit. Bianchi collided with a recovery vehicle, that was recovering Adrian Sutil's car from a crash on the previous lap. 

The race

The results of the Grand Prix are secondary after such an incident, however they are still significant in the course of the season.

Hamilton won the race with a great pass, around the outside of Nico Rosberg into turn 1, in the small window in the race where DRS was enabled.

Jenson Button confirmed his wet weather prowess, finishing a highly credible 5th, just missing out on the podium to the Red Bulls.

Big Transfer News

Button's performance was commendable, not just for the gamble to move on to intermediates and the difficult conditions, but also because of the intense speculation surrounding his future, as Vettel confirmed he is leaving Red Bull. He is almost certainly heading to Ferrari to replace Fernando Alonso, who is rumoured to be heading to McLaren to replace either Button or Magnussen, but rumours are that Button is the most likely to be replaced, despite consistently outperforming Magnussen.

Button's 5th was also key as it helped McLaren cut the gap in the constructors to Force India, by 5 points, so the gap is now only 1 point.

Rugby Union

Bath continued their great early season form, with a 21-11 win against Saracens, to move into 2nd place in the Aviva Premiership. After beating Leicester 45-0, 2 weeks ago, the win against Saracens highlights Bath's potential.

Bath's centres Eastmond and Joseph both scored tries and outlined their England credentials.

Burgess

The form of Eastmond and Joseph and at international level, Twelvetrees, Tuilagi and Burrell, all adds to the intrigue around the signing of Sam Burgess from Rugby League.

Burgess is joining Bath, after having won the NRL grand final with Sydney Rabbitohs at the weekend, in which he won the Clive Churchill medal (for best player in the final) after playing on despite a fractured cheekbone, in the very first action in the game.

Cycling

One of the final classics of the season, the Tour of Lombardy (also known as the race of the falling leaves) was run at the weekend.

Irishman, Dan Martin own the race for Garmin-Sharp, with a late attack, to collect his second 'monument' after Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2013.

Highlights of the finale at Lombardy are here

I'll hopeful cover a few other sports stories this week as well.