Nadal outlasts Ferrer to stay unbeaten at ATP Finals

LONDON — Rafael Nadal outlasted David Ferrer 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4 Friday to finish the group stage unbeaten at the ATP World Tour Finals. Neither player had much at stake as Nadal had already clinched first place in the group and Ferrer had been eliminated, but the two baseline sluggers still went at it relentlessly for more than 2-½ hours in a match full of heavy hitting and long rallies. Nadal earned the decisive break to go up 5-4 in the third set — having previously wasted five break points in a marathon first game of the decider — and sealed victory with a backhand volley winner. Nadal faces Novak Djokovic in the semifinals Saturday. On Thursday, Novak Djokovic only needed a set. The Serb No. 1 rarely settles for less than two, though, especially against one of his favorite opponents. Djokovic reached the semifinals of the ATP World Tour Finals by extending his dominance over Tomas Berdych, beating the Czech player 6-3, 7-5 in their last round-robin match and stay on course for a fourth straight title. Under the tournament's tiebreaker rules, Djokovic would have advanced even if he lost in three sets, which would have left both players with a 1-2 record. That meant there was little left to play for after he broke for a 5-3 lead in the first and then served out the set. Djokovic didn't let up, though, breaking for 6-5 in the second and improving his career record against Berdych to 21-2. He has beaten the Czech five times in the last six years at the ATP Finals. Bryans prevail Top seeds and defending champions Bob and Mike Bryan saved five match points to beat Jamie Murray and John Peers 6-7(5) 7-6(5) 16-14 in a cliffhanger and reach the semifinals Thursday. The American twins looked out of it when they trailed 9-5 in the deciding championship tiebreak but used all their craft, and some luck, to claw back the deficit and qualify at the expense of the Anglo/Australian duo. It was their 35th victory in the year-end championship — taking them past the record they had shared with Daniel Nestor. The 37-year-old Bryans, who have won a record 109 titles together, have now reached at least the semifinals of the season-ender for the 10th time, winning four titles. — Agencies