JOIN USDjokovic takes Berdych in his stride
Novak Djokovic added another processional victory to the lengthening list at the ATP World Tour Finals with a 6-2, 6-2 demolition of subdued Czech Tomas Berdych on Friday.
The world number one was virtually guaranteed a semifinal berth before walking on court at the O2 Arena, but made doubly sure by cruising past Berdych in little more than an hour.
A day after Roger Federer dropped only one game beating home favourite Andy Murray to win Group B, Djokovic was also in ruthless mood to top Group A and guarantee ending the year ranked as world number one for the third time.
The Serb has now won 30 indoor matches in succession since the ATP World Tour Finals in 2012.
Of the 11 round-robin matches played at the tournament this year only one has gone to a deciding set.
Djokovic, looking for a third consecutive title at the London year-ender, will face Japan's Kei Nishikori in the semifinals on Saturday when Roger Federer will be up against fellow Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka unless he loses heavily to Croatia's Marin Cilic later on Friday.
Spellbinding
Already assured of a place in the semifinals of the ATP World Tour Finals after Kei Nishikori's three-set win in Group B earlier in the day, Federer only required a set against Murray to top the standings.
He managed that objective in 24 spellbinding minutes, allowing former Wimbledon champion Murray only eight points in the opening set, then went in pursuit of a rare ‘double bagel’ -- the nickname for a tennis whitewash.
At 6-0, 5-0 and 30-0 ahead on Murray's serve the O2 crowd, many of whom were in the Federer camp, held its breath.
Swiss maestro Federer then missed a relatively easy volley and Murray somehow clawed his way to a game -- avoiding the fate that befell Argentina's Gaston Gaudio in 2005 when Federer recorded the only 6-0, 6-0 win in Tour Finals history.
Federer ended Murray's torment a game later and will now go in search of a seventh season-ending title to cap a remarkable comeback year for the 33-year-old after a disappointing 2013 when his powers appeared on the wane.
Tournament debutant Nishikori deservedly joins Federer in the last four as Group B runner-up after beating alternate David Ferrer 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the day's first singles.
For Murray, his year ended in crushing fashion. "Everything he tried tonight came off," Murray, still sweating, said minutes after coming off court.