The good news mostly outweighs the bad at this year’s ATP World Tour Finals in London.
Let’s get the bad out of the way first: Rafael Nadal, as you surely know, will miss the event after having his appendix out last week; without Rafa, the tournament’s two round-robin groups fall a little flat.
But the good news comes on two fronts. First, the race for the No. 1 ranking is still being run between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, though Djokovic is significantly closer to the finish line after his title in Paris last week. Second, and perhaps more intriguing, will be the new faces at the O2: Can Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic, and Marin Cilic hold their own with the big boys? The answer isn’t just an academic one, because a strong performance at the World Tour Finals can have a carry-over effect the next season. In 2013, Stan Wawrinka qualified for the tournament for the first time and reached the semis; two months later he won the Australian Open.
Could we witness a development as dramatic as that one in London? Even if we don’t, this remains a week to savor, a reward for players and fans alike. Here’s a look at how those players may fare over the next eight days.