Roger Federer Opened The ATP World Tour Finals With A Hard-Earned Victory

Roger Federer opened the ATP World Tour Finals with a hard-earned victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at London's O2 Arena.

Bidding to defend the title he won 12 months ago and secure a record sixth season-end crown, Federer came through 6-2 2-6 6-4 in one hour and 28 minutes.

The 16-time Grand Slam champion looked on course for a routine triumph when he dominated the first set, breaking twice and dropping only three points on serve.

Tsonga responded brilliantly in the second set with two breaks of his own to level, and he continued to take the fight to Federer in the decider.



But the Swiss legend showed all his class and experience to strike late on and make an early move to the top of round-robin Group B.


The evening match sees world number two Rafael Nadal face Mardy Fish at 2000 GMT, with Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic both in Group A action on Monday.

Federer arrived in London as the man to beat, with 17 wins from his past 18 matches and victory - over Tsonga - at the last Masters 1000 event of the year in Paris.

He had won six of his nine previous encounters with the Frenchman, although they had never met indoors before and Tsonga stunned Federer in this year's Wimbledon quarter-finals.

With two of the sport's most eye-catching players first up and music, bright lights and dry ice used to build the atmosphere, there was a palpable sense of excitement around the 17,500-capacity venue.

The noise was deafening when they emerged on court with both men backed by large sections of the crowd but Federer certainly the favourite.

His mother Lynette, wife Mirka and French footballer Thierry Henry - not supporting compatriot Tsonga - looked on in awe as the world number four put on a first-set masterclass.

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