Shanghai Final Briefing

© Getty ImagesMurray will become the World No. 3 with a win Sunday.

FINAL PREVIEW - MURRAY EYES NO. 3 RANKING, FERRER FIRST ATP MASTERS 1000 TITLE
Two of the ATP World Tour’s Top 5 players will meet in Sunday’s final of the Shanghai Rolex Masters, with some significant rewards waiting for both of them should they capture the prestigious title.

Reigning champ and World No. 4 Andy Murray, seeded No. 2 in Shanghai, was pushed to three sets in his opening match against No. 13 seed Stanislas Wawrinka in the third round but has cruised through his last two matches in straight sets, beating Australian qualifier Matthew Ebden 63 62 in the quarter-finals, and Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals, 63 60. He is now 14-0 since a semi-final loss to Rafael Nadal at the US Open and 24-1 since mid-August. He is looking to win three ATP World Tour titles in as many weeks for the first time in his career. If he wins this match, he will pass Roger Federer for the No. 3 ranking. Federer has been in the Top 3 since July 7, 2003 (after winning his first Slam at Wimbledon).

“It would be nice to finish the year off No. 3 if I can because that would be the highest ranking I finished at," said Murray, who has ended the last three ATP World Tour seasons at No. 4. "It's not the ultimate goal, but it's a step in the right direction... I can't really finish as the No. 2 or No. 1.”

Murray has a 7-1 record in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 finals (20-9 in overall finals). He won two ATP Masters 1000 titles in each of the past three years and is hoping to capture his second of 2011. His only loss in an ATP Masters 1000 final came at Indian Wells in 2009 (to Nadal).

World No. 5 David Ferrer, the No. 3 seed, won his first match of the week in straight sets and has rallied from a set down to win his last three, with a 16 75 62 third round win over Juan Carlos Ferrero (saving three match points down 61 54), a 67(5) 62 76(2) quarter-final win over Andy Roddick (having just lost to him at the US Open) and a 67(5) 63 63 semi-final win over Feliciano Lopez (having lost six of their seven prior hard court meetings). Despite the first set struggles Ferrer has maintained stellar serving stats, holding all 31 service games the last two matches and going 52 for 57 (91%) through the tournament (Murray is 26 for 29, 90%).

Ferrer has an 0-2 record in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 finals (11-13 in overall finals). In his first two ATP Masters 1000 finals he was a runner-up to Nadal both times (at Rome in 2010 and at Monte-Carlo earlier this year). The last Spaniard other than Nadal to claim an ATP Masters 1000 title came five and a half years ago in May 2006 when Tommy Robredo won on the clay of Hamburg.

“I will try to do my best for the win tomorrow,” said Ferrer, a 29-year-old veteran of the ATP World Tour. “I've never won an ATP Masters 1000. It's very important for me and for my tennis career.”

Murray leads Ferrer in their overall head-to-head, 4-3, but more specifically, Murray has won all four of their meetings on hard courts (Ferrer is 3-0 against Murray on clay courts). The two just played in the Tokyo semi-finals eight days ago, Murray emerging with a comfortable 62 63 win.

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WHAT’S AT STAKE –
Winner:  $ 620,000 and 1000 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points
Runner-up: $ 304,000 and 600 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points

FINALS HISTORY –
Ferrer - Appearing in his 25th ATP World Tour level final…………….11-13 record (2-3 in 2011)
Appearing in his 3rd ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final…..0-2 record (0-1 in 2011)
Murray - Appearing in his 30th ATP World Tour level final……………20-9 record (4-1 in 2011)
Appearing in his 9th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final……7-1 record (1-0 in 2011)

2011 ATP MASTERS 1000 FINALS –  This will be the eighth all-Top 10 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final of the season. Both players are appearing in their second ATP Masters 1000 final in 2011
 
Champion (Rank) Finalist  (Rank)  Result
Indian Wells  Novak Djokovic (3) Rafael Nadal (1) 46 63 62
Miami Novak Djokovic (2) Rafael Nadal (1) 46 63 76(4)
Monte-Carlo Rafael Nadal (1) David Ferrer (6) 64 75
Madrid Novak Djokovic  (2) Rafael Nadal (1) 75 64
Rome Novak Djokovic  (2) Rafael Nadal (1) 64 64
Montreal  Novak Djokovic (1) Mardy Fish (8)  62 36 64
Cincinnati  Andy Murray (4) Novak Djokovic  (1) 64 3-0 Ret.
Shanghai Andy Murray (4) vs David Ferrer (5)
 
ATP WORLD TOUR MASTERS 1000 TITLE LEADERS – Murray is attempting to capture his eighth career
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title and Ferrer his first. Here are the leaders (since 1990):

                        No.
1) Rafael Nadal 19
2) Andre Agassi 17
  Roger Federer 17
4) Pete Sampras 11
5) Novak Djokovic 10 
6) Thomas Muster 8
7) Michael Chang 7
   Andy Murray   7

2011 ATP WORLD TOUR TITLE LEADERS – Murray is tied for second-most titles on the ATP World Tour this season while Ferrer is tied for sixth place:
                                    No.
1) Novak Djokovic          10
2) Andy Murray            4  
Robin Soderling              4  
4) Nicolas Almagro          3  
Rafael Nadal                    3
6) Juan Martin del Potro   2
David Ferrer                 2
John Isner                      2
Gilles Simon                   2

BATTLE FOR LONDON -- There are three spots remaining for the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London after No. 5 David Ferrer clinched a spot on Thursday.  Here are the updated 2011 ranking points leaders (thru Friday):  Bold indicates qualified
      2011 Points
1 Novak Djokovic 13,295       9 Nicolas Almagro 2.370 
2 Rafael Nadal 9,500            10 Gilles Simon 2.155
3 Andy Murray  6,800 +       11 Robin Soderling  2,080
4 Roger Federer  5,185         12 Juan Martin del Potro 2,050
5 David Ferrer  4,300 +        13 Janko Tipsarevic    2,040
6 Tomas Berdych 2,940        14 Alexandr Dolgopolov 1,835
7 Mardy Fish  2,875              15 Gael Monfils 1,765
8 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2,790   16 Andy Roddick  1,680 
+ Add 400 points with win    

SUNDAY CHAMPIONSHIP FEDEX HEAD 2 HEADS –

Stadium Court

 (3) David Ferrer (ESP) vs (2) Andy Murray (GBR)    Murray Leads 4-3 (4-0 on Hard)
06 Barcelona (Spain) Clay R32 David Ferrer 4-6(5) 7-6(0) 6-1
06 ATP Masters 1000 Toronto Hard R64 Andy Murray 6-2 7-6(6)
10 ATP Masters 1000 Rome (Italy) Clay R16 David Ferrer 6-3 6-4
10 ATP Masters 1000 Madrid (Spain) Clay QF David Ferrer 7-5 6-3
10 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals  Hard RR Andy Murray 6-2 6-2
11 Australian Open (Australia) Hard SF Andy Murray 4-6 7-6(2) 6-1 7-6(2)
11 Tokyo (Japan) Hard SF Andy Murray 6-2 6-3

FERRER FASTFACTS

Tournament Highlights:
• The 29-year-old Spaniard has a 7-2 career mark and he's appearing in the final for the first time and he’s come back from a set down in his last three matches, defeating countryman Juan Carlos Ferrero 16 75 62 (saving three match points at 4-5 in 2nd set) in the 3rd Rd., No. 10 seed Andy Roddick 67(5) 62 76(2), saving all five break points, in the QFs, and countryman Feliciano Lopez 67(5) 63 63 in the SFs…Opened with 75 76(7) win over Milos Raonic
• Has held serve 52 of 57 games this week (91%), including 31 in a row in past two matches, while breaking opponents 11 times
• Last year he defeated left-handers Michael Llodra and Thomaz Bellucci before falling to No. 5 Robin Soderling in the third round
• In 2007, he made his Tennis Masters Cup debut in Shanghai and reached the final (l. to Federer)

2011 Highlights:
W(2): Auckland (d Nalbandian); Acapulco (d Almagro); F(3): ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo (l Nadal); Barcelona (l Nadal); Bastad (l Soderling); SF(2): Australian Open (l Murray); Tokyo (l Murray); QF(3): ATP Masters 1000 Miami (l Fish); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid (l Djokovic); Nice (l Dolgopolov)
 
2011 in Review:
• The No. 2 Spaniard (behind No. 2 Nadal) is making his sixth final showing of the year (2-3), the second in an ATP World Tour Masters 1000…He was runner-up in Monte Carlo (l. to Nadal) in April..He is appearing in his 25th career final (11-13)…He is 4-3 in hard court finals
• Last week he was a semi-finalist in Tokyo where he lost to eventual champion Murray 62 63…Has a 51-14 match record (25-7 on hard) and third time in his career he’s won 50-more matches (61 in 2007, 60 last year)…Has a 5-7 mark vs. Top 10 opponents this year (1-6 vs. Top 5 w/best win over No. 1 Nadal in Aust. Open QF) and  33-61 in career
•  He became the fifth player to qualify for next month’s Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London
• This is his second tournament since the US Open where he reached the 4th Rd. (l. to Roddick)
• He won ATP World Tour titles in Auckland (d. Nalbandian) in January and Acapulco (d. Almagro) in late February…Also runner-up to Nadal in ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo, Barcelona in April and to No. 5 Soderling in Bastad in July
• He’s helped his native country to the Davis Cup final (vs. Argentina) by posting a 3-0 record this year in wins over U.S. in Austin, Texas, defeating Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish, and over France’s Gilles Simon on Sept. 16 in SF tie
• One of seven Spaniards to win an ATP World Tour title this season (Almagro-3, Nadal-3, Ferrer-2, Andujar, Ferrero, Granollers, Robredo)…Spain is 12-19 in finals this season (most titles)

ATP World Tour Masters 1000 History:
• Has a 108-72 career mark and his best result is a runner-up in Monte-Carlo in April  and Rome last year (l. to Nadal both times)…Also semi-finalist in Miami in 2005-06, Rome in 2005, along with Monte-Carlo in 2010-11 and Madrid last year…He is one of 12 active players to win at least 100 career matches

2011 Comeback Leaders – Ferrer has come back from a set down to win 11 main draw matches this season, third-most on the ATP World Tour, including his last three in Shanghai. Here are this year’s leaders:
          
                                 No.
1) Gilles Simon            12
    Stanislas Wawrinka  12
3) David Ferrer            11
4) Fabio Fognini          10
    Kei Nishikori           10

MURRAY FASTFACTS

Tournament Highlights:
• The reigning champ,is 8-0 at this tournament…He had a walkover on Wednesday (vs. Tursunov), then ousted No. 13 seed Stanislas Wawrinka 64 36 63 on Thursday, Aussie qualifier Matthew Ebden 63 62 in the QFs and Kei Nishikori 63 60 in 56 minutes in the SFs…He has held serve 26 of 29 games (90%) and leads tournament in return games won (42%, 13 of 31)
• He did not drop a set in his tournament debut last year (d. Federer in final)…He opened with a 62 62 win over wild card Yan Bai and followed with a 63 64 victory over Frenchman qualifier Jeremy Chardy, a 62 62 triumph over No. 12 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and 64 61 win over Juan Monaco

2011 Highlights:
W (4): London / Queen's Club (d Tsonga); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati (d Djokovic); Bangkok (d Young); Tokyo (d Nadal); F(1): Australian Open (l Djokovic); SF(5): ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo (l Nadal); ATP Masters 1000 Rome (l Djokovic); Roland Garros (l Nadal); Wimbledon (l Nadal); US Open (l Nadal)

2011 in Review:
• The 24-year-old Scot comes into his sixth final of the year (4-1) having won 24 of his past 25 matches since mid-August…He has a 53-11 match record on the year (32-6 on hard courts)… Has a 47-37 career mark vs. Top 10 opponents (6-6 this year, 5-2 since Queen’s Club)
• He is appearing in his 30th career final (20-9) and ninth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final (7-1)…If he defends the title, he will move to No. 3 (ahead of Federer) in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings…The last time he was No. 3 was Mar. 29, 2010 and last time Federer was out of Top 3 – June 30, 2003 (at No. 5)
• During his 24-1 run, won his second title at ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati (d. Djokovic), reached the SFs at the US Open (l. to Nadal), won a pair of Davis Cup matches vs. Hungary and picked up titles in Bangkok (d. Young)  and Tokyo last week, rallying to defeat No. 2 Rafael Nadal 36 62 60 in the final
• Has already qualified for season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London along with Djokovic, Nadal and Federer…Stands No. 3 in ATP year-to-date Rankings (1,615 pts ahead of Federer)
• In June, won his second Queen’s Club title in London (d. Roddick in SF, Tsonga in F) and followed with semi-final at Wimbledon (l. to Nadal)
• Went into the clay court circuit with a 6-4 match record before reaching the semi-finals in Monte-Carlo (l. to Nadal in three sets)…He then made 3rd Rd. in Madrid (d. Simon, l. to Bellucci) and semi-finals at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome (l. to Djokovic) and Roland Garros (l. to Nadal)
• He began the season with a second straight runner-up at the Australian Open (l. to Djokovic) and then lost three straight opening round matches before turning things around on clay in April, going 12-4
• He posted a career-best 21-4 mark in Grand Slam play, reaching SFs or better for first time in a season

ATP World Tour Masters 1000 History:
• Has a 108-44 career mark and 7-1 in finals…Won in Cincinnati in August (d. Djokovic)…Last year won titles in Toronto and Shanghai and from 2008-10 has won two titles each year…His only final loss came to Nadal in ’09 Indian Wells…He’s won most ATP Masters 1000 titles without a Grand Slam crown…Also a semi-finalist eight other times

2011 Hard Court Leaders – Murray is tied for second-most hard court match wins this year:
 
                             W-L    Titles
1) Novak Djokovic  40-2        6   
2) Andy Murray      32-6        3
Rafael Nadal          32-9        0
Tomas Berdych      32-11      1
Mardy Fish            32-14      1
Janko Tipsarevic    32-15      1

DOUBLES FINAL – NO. 2 MIRNYI-NESTOR BATTLE NO. 3 LLODRA-ZIMONJIC IN TITLE MATCH

• While the No. 2 and 3 seeds battle it out in the singles final, the same two seeds will square off in Sunday’s doubles championship as No. 2 Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Daniel Nestor of Canada take on No. 3 Michael Llodra  of France and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia. Both teams already have qualified for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London, Nov. 20-27.
• Mirnyi-Nestor have not dropped a set in three matches en route to the final while Llodra-Zimonjic have won two Match Tie-breaks, in second round and quarter-finals.
• Llodra and Zimonjic have won two of the previous three meetings this year.. In May, Llodra-Zimonjic won in the quarter-finals of ATP Masters 1000 Madrid and one month later, Mirnyi-Nestor won a pair of tie-breaks in the semi-finals of Roland Garros. In their last meeting in the semi-finals of ATP Masters 1000 Montreal, Llodra-Zimonjic won 63 64.
• Mirnyi and Nestor are trying to collect their third title of the season (2-1) and in their career together. In February, they won the title in Memphis (d. Butorac-Rojer) and at Roland Garros (d. Cabal-Schwank) in June. They were finalists in Miami (l. to Bhupathi-Paes) and semi-finalists at the Australian Open.
• They played twice in 2000, going 2-2, before reuniting this season. Mirnyi is 39-35 lifetime in finals while Nestor is 73-47. The Canadian is tied No. 6 in the Open Era doubles titles list (w/Bob Bryan).
• Llodra and Zimonjic are appearing in their seventh final of the season (3-3). Last week they won in Beijing (d. Lindstedt-Tecau). In August, they won back-to-back crowns in Washington (d.  Lindstedt-Tecau) and the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 in Montreal (d. Bryans) and were runner-up in Cincinnati (l. to Bhupathi-Paes). In February, they were finalists in Rotterdam (l. to Melzer-Petzshner) and in May at ATP Masters 1000 Madrid (l. to Bryans). Since Wimbledon where they reached the semi-finals, they have a 24-3 match record.
• Llodra is 21-19 in ATP World Tour doubles finals (incl. three Grand Slam titles), Zimonjic is 42-28 in ATP World Tour doubles finals (incl. three Grand Slam titles).