Federer snaps Djokovic's win streak at 23 matches

Roger Federer, playing at Indian Wells in March, defeated Novak
Djokovic 7-5, 6-2 in the round-robin phase of the ATP World Tour
Finals in London. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Third-seeded Roger Federer ended top-seeded Novak Djokovic's winning streak at 23 matches today with a 7-5, 6-2 victory in the round-robin phase of the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
   It was Djokovic's first loss since he fell to Federer in the Cincinnati final in August.
   Federer, 34, leads the head-to-head series 22-21. He and Djokovic have met more times than any other two players in the Open era except Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. The 29-year-old Spaniard leads the 28-year-old Serb 23-22.
   Federer has beaten Djokovic in straight sets three times this year, but Djokovic is 4-3 against his rival this year, including victories in the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals.
   Federer, seeking his seventh ATP Finals title, improved to 2-0 in the Stan Smith group and qualified for Saturday's semifinals. Djokovic remains in contention for his fourth straight ATP Finals title and fifth overall at 1-1.
   Djokovic, who came within one match of winning the first calendar-year Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969, dropped to 79-6 this year.
  Top-seeded Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan also stayed in contention for their fifth ATP Finals title and second in a row with a straight-set victory.
   The 37-year-old Bryans dismissed fifth-seeded Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-2 in round-robin play.
   It was only the second victory since August for the Bryans, who failed to win a Grand Slam title this year for the first time since 2004.
   The former NCAA champions from Stanford improved to 1-1 in the Ashe/Smith group and tied Daniel Nestor's record of 34 career doubles victories in the ATP Finals. Bolelli and Fognini, who won their first major title in the Australian Open in January, were eliminated at 0-2.
   The Bryans lost their No. 1 ranking two weeks ago for the first time in almost three years. Their streak of six year-end top rankings also is in jeopardy.

ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS

In London

Round-robin singles

   Kei Nishikori (8), Japan, def. Tomas Berdych (6), Czech Republic, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.
   Roger Federer (3), Switzerland, def. Novak Djokovic (1), Serbia, 7-5, 6-2.

Standings

(Sets record in parentheses)

   Stan Smith group -- 1. Roger Federer 2-0 (4-0), 2. Novak Djokovic 1-1 (2-2), 3. Kei Nishikori 1-1 (2-3), 4. Tomas Berdych 0-2 (1-4).

   Ilie Nastase group -- 1. Rafael Nadal 1-0 (2-0), 2. Andy Murray 1-0 (2-0), 3. David Ferrer 0-1 (0-2), 4. Stan Wawrinka 0-1 (0-2).
   Top two players in each group after three matches advance to Saturday's semifinals.

Round-robin doubles

   Rohan Bopanna, India, and Florin Mergea (8), Romania, def. Jamie Murray, Great Britain, and John Peers (4), Australia, 6-3, 7-6 (5).
   Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (1), United States, def. Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini (5), Italy, 6-3, 6-2.

Standings

(Sets record in parentheses)

   Ashe/Smith group -- 1. Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea 2-0 (4-0), 2. Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 1-1 (2-2). 3. Jamie Murray and John Peers 1-1 (2-3), 4. Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini 0-2 (1-4).
   Fleming/McEnroe group -- 1. Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau 1-0 (2-0), 2. Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 1-0 (2-1), 3. Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut 0-1 (1-2), 4. Marcin Matkowski and Nenad Zimonjic 0-1 (0-2).
   Top two teams in each group after three matches advance to Saturday's semifinals.

Paris attacks hit Murray especially hard

Andy Murray survived a harrowing ordeal as a child.
2014 photo by Paul Bauman

   For Andy Murray, the terrorist attacks in Paris hit all too close to home.
   At 8 years old, Murray was present at his school in Dunblane, Scotland, when Thomas Hamilton fatally shot 16 children and a teacher and wounded 15 others in 1996. Hamilton, a local shopkeeper and former scout leader, then killed himself.
   Murray and his older brother, Jamie, were unharmed in the carnage. Jamie, a doubles standout on the pro tour, was 10 at the time.
   Combined with his parents' split when Andy was 10, is it any wonder that, although cooperative, he invariably seems morose in postmatch news conferences?
   In this week's ATP World Tour Finals in London, Andy Murray is seeded second in singles, and Jamie Murray is seeded fourth in doubles with John Peers of Australia. The top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams of the year qualified for the tournament.
   Andy Murray won the first of his 35 tour-level singles titles, fourth among active players and 17th since the Open era began in 1968, in San Jose.
   He said he has no second thoughts about playing in the Davis Cup final Nov. 27-29 in Ghent, Belgium. Several arrests have been made in Belgium in connection with the Paris rampage.
   "Everybody right now is concerned about things," Murray, 28, told reporters on Monday after beating seventh-seeded David Ferrer of Spain 6-4, 6-4 in the round-robin phase of the ATP Finals. "But I do think the best thing we can do is to live our normal lives, not change too much, because then the terrorists are the ones that are winning. We need to go out there and do what we always do.
   "That's all we can do. I don't want to live my life in fear each time I step on a tennis court."  
   Murray owns two Grand Slam singles titles. He broke through in the 2012 U.S. Open after losing his first four major finals and became the first British man in 77 years to win Wimbledon in 2013.

ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS
In London
Round-robin singles

   Andy Murray (2), Great Britain, def. David Ferrer (7), Spain, 6-4, 6-4.
   Rafael Nadal (5), Spain, def. Stan Wawrinka (4), Switzerland, 6-3, 6-2.

Round-robin doubles

   Jean-Julien Rojer, Netherlands, and Horia Tecau (2), Romania, def. Marcin Matkowski, Poland, and Nenad Zimonjic (7), Serbia, 6-2, 6-4.
   Ivan Dodig, Croatia, and Marcelo Melo (3), Brazil, def. Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut (6), France, 3-6, 7-6 (4) [10-7].

Bryans drop opener in ATP World Tour Finals

   The Bryan brothers' hopes of earning their seventh straight year-end No. 1 ranking suffered a blow today.
   Top-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan, who have won one match since August, lost to eighth-seeded Rohan Bopanna of India and Florin Mergea of Romania 6-4, 6-3 in a round-robin opener at the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
   The Bryans fell to 1-4 against the 30-year-old, 5-foot-11 (1.80-meter) Mergea this year.
   The 37-year-old Bryan twins probably must win the rest of their matches, which would give them a fifth ATP Finals title and second in a row, to keep their year-end streak alive. The former Stanford stars lead second-ranked Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau by only 65 points (6,465 to 6,400). Also in contention are Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo (6, 140), and Jamie Murray and John Peers (5,635).
   The Bryans will play fifth-seeded Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini of Italy in another round-robin match on Tuesday.
   Bolelli and Fognini, this year's Australian Open champions, lost to fourth-seeded Murray of Great Britain and Peers of Australia 7-6 (5), 3-6 [11-9] today.
   Melo replaced the Bryans at No. 1 in the world on Nov. 2. It was the first time since Sept. 9, 2012, that neither Bryan was ranked No. 1.
   The Bryans failed to win a Grand Slam men's doubles title this year for the first time since 2004. They have won a record 16 Slams in men's doubles.

ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS

In London

Round-robin singles

   Novak Djokovic (1), Serbia, def. Kei Nishikori (8), Japan, 6-1, 6-1.

   Roger Federer (3), Switzerland, def. Tomas Berdych (6), Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-2.

Robin-robin doubles

   Jamie Murray, Great Britain, and John Peers (4), Australia, def. Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini (5), Italy, 7-6 (5), 3-6 [11-9].

   Rohan Bopanna, India, and Florin Mergea (8), Romania, def. Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (1), United States, 6-4, 6-3.

TV schedule, calendar

 ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS TV SCHEDULE

(Broadcasts on Tennis Channel unless noted otherwise; all times in California)

Monday

   Round-robin doubles, 4-6 a.m. (live).
   Round-robin singles, 6-8 a.m. (live).
   Round-robin doubles, 8-10 a.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin doubles, 10 a.m.-noon (live).
   Round-robin singles, noon-2 p.m. (live).
   Round-robin doubles, 3-5 p.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin singles, 5-9 p.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin singles, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Tuesday (repeat).

Tuesday

   Round-robin doubles, 4-6 a.m. (live).
   Round-robin singles, 6-8 a.m. (live).
   Round-robin doubles, 8-10 a.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin doubles, 10 a.m.-noon (live).
   Round-robin singles, noon-2 p.m. (live).
   Round-robin doubles, 3-5 p.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin singles, 5-9 p.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin singles, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Wednesday (repeat).

Wednesday

   Round-robin doubles, 4-6 a.m. (live).
   Round-robin singles, 6-8 a.m. (live).
   Round-robin doubles, 8-10 a.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin doubles, 10 a.m.-noon (live).
   Round-robin singles, noon-2 p.m. (live).
   Round-robin doubles, 3-5 p.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin singles, 5-9 p.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin singles, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Thursday (repeat).

Thursday

   Round-robin doubles, 4-6 a.m. (live).
   Round-robin singles, 6-8 a.m. (live).
   Round-robin doubles, 8-10 a.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin doubles, 10 a.m.-noon (live).
   Round-robin doubles, 3-5 p.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin singles, 5-9 p.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin singles, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday (repeat).

Friday

   Round-robin doubles, 4-6 a.m. (live).
   Round-robin singles, 6-8 a.m. (live).
   Round-robin doubles, 8-10 a.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin doubles, 9:45-11:30 a.m. (live).
   Round-robin singles, noon-2 p.m. (live).
   Round-robin doubles, 2:30-5 p.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin singles, 5-9 p.m. (repeat).
   Round-robin singles, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday (repeat).

Saturday

   Doubles semifinals, 4-6 a.m. (live).
   Singles semifinals, 6-8 a.m. (live).
   Doubles semifinals, 8-10 a.m. (repeat).
   Doubles semifinals, 10 a.m.-noon (live).
   Singles semifinals, ESPN2, noon-2 p.m. (live).
   Doubles semifinals, 3-5 p.m. (repeat).
   Singles semifinals, 5-9 p.m. (repeat).

Sunday

   Doubles final, 7:30-9:30 a.m. (live).
   Singles final, ESPN2, 10 a.m.-noon (live).
   Singles final, 5-9 p.m. (delay).

CALENDAR

   Through Sunday -- ATP World Tour Finals, London. 2014 champions: Novak Djokovic, Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan.
   Nov. 25-Dec. 6 -- Eddie Herr International Championships, Bradenton, Fla.
   Nov. 27-29 -- Davis Cup final, Great Britain at Belgium. 
   Nov. 30-Dec. 6 -- USTA National Men's and Women's 50 Hard Court Championships, La Jolla, Calif.
   Dec. 7-13 -- Orange Bowl, boys and girls 18 and 16 singles and doubles, Plantation, Fla.
   Dec. 13-22 -- Junior Orange Bowl, boys and girls 14 and 12 singles, Coral Gables, Fla.

   Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2016 -- USTA National Winter Championships, boys and girls 18 and 16 singles and doubles, Scottsdale, Ariz.
   Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2016 -- USTA National Winter Championships, boys and girls 14 and 12 singles and doubles, Tucson, Ariz.
   Jan. 18  (Jan. 17 in United States)-Jan. 31, 2016 -- AUSTRALIAN OPEN. 2015 champions: Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Simone Bolelli/Fabio Fognini, Bethanie Mattek-Sands/Lucie Safarova, Martina Hingis/Leander Paes.
   Jan. 22-24 -- Intercollegiate Tennis Association Kick-Off Weekend, 30 campus sites.
   Feb. 6-7, 2016 -- Fed Cup, first round, United States vs. Poland in World Group II, Kailua Kona, Hawaii.

   Feb. 5-8, 2016 -- Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Women's Team Indoor Championships, Madison, Wis.

   Feb. 12-15, 2016 -- Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Men's Team Indoor Championships, Charlottesville, Va.

   March 4-6, 2016 -- Davis Cup, first round, United States at Australia.

   March 7-20, 2016 -- BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Calif. 2015 champions: Novak Djokovic, Simona Halep, Vasek Pospisil/Jack Sock, Martina Hingis/Sania Mirza.

Cal's Goransson falls in National Indoor final

Andre Goransson serves in doubles in the $100,000
 Tiburon Challenger last month. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Cal's Andre Goransson lost to third-seeded Dominik Koepfer of Tulane 6-1, 7-5 today in the final of the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
   Goransson, a junior from Sweden, is ranked 22nd. Koepfer, a senior from Germany, is 10th.
   "It was a tough one today," Goransson said on calbears.com. "Dominik was just a little bit too good today. I don't think I played that bad. He was serving unbelievably well and hit some tough shots."
   Goransson ended the fall season at 13-2, with both losses to Koepfer.
   Goransson, who won the tournament's Sportsmanship Award, was the third Cal man to reach the National Indoor singles final. Michael Bauer (1981) and Steve DeVries (1987) also lost in the title match.
   This year's tournament was played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the site of the U.S. Open.

USTA/ITA NATIONAL INDOOR INTERCOLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

In Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

Finals

Men's singles

   Dominik Koepfer (3), Tulane, def. Andre Goransson, Cal, 6-1, 7-5.

Men's doubles

   Hugo Dojas and Felipe Soares, Texas Tech, def. Brett Clark and Robert Kelly (2), North Carolina, 6-4, 5-7 [10-7].

Women's singles

   Francesca Di Lorenzo, Ohio State, def. Joana Eidukonyte, Clemson, 6-3, 6-1.

Women's doubles

   Hayley Carter and Whitney Kay (4), North Carolina, def. 4-6, 6-4 [10-6].

Cal's Goransson advances to National Indoor final

Andre Goransson practices during the Tiburon (Calif.)
Challenger in September. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Andre Goransson could make Cal history on Sunday.
   The junior from Sweden will try to become the first Cal man to win the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships when he meets third-seeded Dominik Koepfer of Tulane. Coverage will begin at 7 a.m. on WatchESPN.com.
   The 22nd-ranked Goransson edged No. 24 Chris Eubanks of Georgia Tech 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 today in the semifinals of the National Indoors in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
   “(Eubanks) has a really big game, so at first I was just trying to be aware that when I get opportunities, I need to take advantage of them, because there aren't going to be many,” Goransson said on itatennis.com. "In the first set, I got some opportunities in the last two games and took advantage of them. In the second set, he came out strong, and I didn't make as many first serves and that gave him more chances to come in. In the third set, I was able to break back quickly and ended the match on a break.”
   Goransson is the third Cal man to reach the National Indoors final, according to gobears.com. Michael Bauer lost to Arkansas' Chip Hooper 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 in 1981, and Steve DeVries fell to USC's Luke Jensen 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in 1987.
   Koepfer, ranked 10th, beat No. 70 Joao Monteiro of Virginia Tech 6-4, 6-4. Monteiro had ousted top-seeded Thai-Son Kwiatkowski of Virginia in the quarterfinals.
   Koepfer, a senior from Germany, defeated Goransson 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals of the ITA All-American Tennis Championships early last month in Tulsa, Okla. It's the only loss of the fall season for Goransson (13-1).
    In the women's doubles semifinals, top-seeded Maegan Manasse and Denise Starr of Cal lost to third-seeded Mami Adachi and Aldila Sutjiadi of Kentucky 6-4, 6-2. Starr, a junior, is from nearby Brooklyn, N.Y.
   Goransson and Manasse swept the Sportsmanship Awards for Cal. 

USTA/ITA NATIONAL INDOOR INTERCOLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

In Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

Men's singles

Semifinals

   Andre Goransson, Cal, def. Chris Eubanks, Georgia Tech, 7-1, 1-6, 7-5.
   Dominik Koepfer (3), Tulane, def. Joao Monteiro, Virginia Tech, 6-4, 6-4.

Men's doubles

Semifinals

   Hugo Dojas and Felipe Soares, Texas Tech, def. Hayden Sabatka and Bart Van Leijsen, New Mexico, 4-6, 6-2 [11-9].
   Brett Clark and Robert Kelly (2), North Carolina, def. Alex Lawson and Quentin Monaghan, Notre Dame, 7-6 (3), 4-6 [10-6].

Women's singles

Semifinals

   Joana Eidukonyte, Clemson, def. Belinda Woolcock (7), Florida, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
   Francesca Di Lorenzo, Ohio State, def. Stephanie Wagner (8), Miami, 6-4, 6-4.

Women's doubles

Semifinals

   Mami Adachi and Aldila Sutjiadi (3), Kentucky, def. Maegan Manasse and Denise Starr (1), Cal, 6-4, 6-2.
   Hayley Carter and Whitney Kay (4), North Carolina, def. Kristina Mathis and Taylor Ng, Dartmouth, 6-4, 6-4.

Cal's Goransson reaches semis in National Indoors

Andre Goransson practices during the Tiburon
Challenger in September. Photo by Paul Bauman 

    Andre Goransson of Cal won two matches on Friday to reach the semifinals of the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
   The 22nd-ranked Goransson defeated Mikael Torpegaard of Ohio State 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 and fourth-seeded Arthur Rinderknech of Texas A&M 6-3, 7-6 (5) to improve to 12-1 this fall.
   Goransson, a junior from Sweden, will face Chris Eubanks in today's third match. In the other semifinal, third-seeded Dominik Koepfer of Tulane will meet Joao Monteiro of Virginia Tech. Monteiro surprised top-seeded Thai-Son Kwiatkowski of reigning NCAA champion Virginia 6-1, 7-6 (4).
   Coverage will begin at 6 a.m. PST on WatchESPN.com.
   Eubanks eliminated Stanford's Tom Fawcett 6-3, 7-5. Fawcett, a 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) sophomore from Winnetka, Ill., had upset second-seeded Cameron Norrie of Texas Christian 6-4, 7-6 (8) earlier Friday in the second round.
   On the women's side, second-seeded Maegan Manasse of Cal lost to Sydney Campbell of reigning NCAA champion Vanderbilt 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the second round. Manasse is ranked fourth and Campbell seventh.
   However, top-seeded Manasse and Denise Starr outclassed Giuliana Olmos, from Fremont in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Gabby Smith of USC 6-2, 6-2 to reach the doubles semifinals.
   Manasse and Starr will play third-seeded Mami Adachi and Aldila Sutjiadi of Kentucky.

USTA/ITA NATIONAL INDOOR INTERCOLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

In Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

(Northern California results only)

Men's singles

Second round

   Andre Goransson, Cal, def. Mikael Torpegaard, Ohio State, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

   Tom Fawcett, Stanford, def. Cameron Norrie (2), TCU, 6-4, 7-6 (8).

Quarterfinals

   Andre Goransson, Cal, def. Arthur Rinderknech (4), Texas A&M, 6-2, 7-5.

   Chris Eubanks, Georgia Tech, def. Tom Fawcett, Stanford, 6-3, 7-5.

Men's doubles

Quarterfinals

   Hugo Dojas and Felipe Soares, Texas Tech, def. Shawn Hadavi and Richard Pham (Saratoga resident), Columbia, 7-5, 7-5.

Women's singles

Second round

   Sydney Campbell, Vanderbilt, def. Maegan Manasse (2), Cal, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Women's doubles

Quarterfinals

   Maegan Manasse and Denise Starr (2), Cal, def. Giuliana Olmos (Fremont resident) and Gabby Smith, USC, 6-2, 6-2.