Andy Murray's ATP World Tour Finals campaign came to a bitterly disappointing end as he was humbled 6-0 6-1 by Roger Federer in London this evening.
The British number one needed to win in straight sets to qualify for the last four of the tournament, but Federer soon ended those hopes with a first-set masterclass.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion reeled off 11 games in a row before Murray eventually got on the board to avoid a double bagel defeat, but Federer closed the match out in less than an hour to continue his 100% Group B record at the 02 Arena, and also confirm Kei Nishikori's spot in the semis.
Below, you can read how Murray's season came to a horrible end, courtesy of Sports Mole's point-by-point coverage.
Evening, all. It is make or break for home favourite Andy Murray in London this evening. He must beat world number two Roger Federer in straight sets to qualify for the ATP Finals last four.
Kei Nishikori's victory over David Ferrer, who replaced Milos Raonic in the tournament after the Canadian withdrew through injury, means that Murray has an even bigger mountain to climb.
Victory alone is not enough for the Briton. He cannot drop a set. As if facing Federer, who has beaten both Nishikori and Raonic in two so far to qualify from Group B, wasn't difficult enough.
The Swiss maestro is anticipating his toughest test of the tournament yet against Murray, whom he feels will be boosted by the form that he has produced on the toad to the ATP Tour Finals.
Federer told reporters: "I'm sure his belief is higher now again.
"Beating David Ferrer twice, and Marin Cilic as well in Beijing, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the US Open - those are the matches he needed to win down the stretch at the end of the season, which he did."
Murray is also aware of the size of the task in front of him, and feels that Federer's status and popularity across Europe means that the English crowd could be split at the 02 Arena.
"The crowd will probably be more split when I play against Roger but that's no surprise," Murray said in his BBC Sport column.
"I've played him all over the world - in Asia, America, Australia, Canada and Europe, at Wimbledon and three times at the O2 - and pretty much everywhere he goes he gets very good support."
H2H: These two have shared some famous matches in the past. Murray's first Wimbledon final was against Federer in 2012, and he has also lost to the 33-year-old in finals at the Australian and US Opens. He did record an emphatic three-set triumph to win Olympic gold in London two years ago, though, Overall their head-to-head record is 11-11, so we should be in for a thriller!
Recent history does not bode quite as well for Murray. He has lost both of his 2014 matches to the Swiss - at the quarter-final stages of the Australian Open and the Cincinnati Masters.
Federer also has a 100% record over the Scot at the ATP World Tour Finals, having beaten him in 2009, 2010 and 2012. The odds are stacking up against Murray the closer we get to the first serve.
Speaking of odds, leading bookmaker SkyBet have Murray at 7-4 to win the match, and 4-1 to win by the straight-sets margin that he needs to secure passage into the last four.
Considering how hard that Murray worked to get to this tournament - he won in Valencia and Vienna in last month - he would likely be very disappointed not to progress from the pool stages.
But he must produce more of the vintage aggressive and defiant Murray tennis that has sometimes been missing since his return from the back surgery which ended his 2013 season early.
Since that operation, the highest-ranked player that Murray has beaten is David Ferrer. He will need a big step up if he is to beat Federer, who has yet to drop a service game at this year's event.
Federer may already be through, but victory tonight is still important for him. He will not want to finish second in Group B and face what is likely to be a semi-final against Novak Djokovic.
The five-time ATP World Tour Finals champion also still has hopes, albeit slim, of ending the year as world number one. He would need Djokovic to lose his final group match tomorrow and go on to win the tournament.
Just a reminder of how Group A is shaping up. Djokovic has won two games from two and has one foot in the last four ahead of his match with Tomas Berdych, who must beat the Serbian and hope that Stanislas Wawrinka loses to Marin Cilic to advance into the semi-finals himself.
Speaking to Sky Sports News before going onto court this evening, Murray said that he was looking forward to the atmosphere, but admitted that he will need to be at his very best to qualify.
The two players make their way through the smoke and out onto court for the pre-match rituals. Federer wins the coin toss and opts to serve first. The start is just a few minutes away here.
Federer received arguably a bigger cheer than Murray as he emerged from the tunnel. The Scot seems unfazed, though, and has his game face on as he knocks up and goes through his final preparations.
PLAY! The Egyptian umpire calls play, and it is Federer to serve...
A shaky first hold from Federer, who misses his three first serves. This, and an easy volley miss, helps Murray move into a 0-30 lead, but the Swiss gets the benefit of a couple of net bounces to bring the scores level. Murray uses up a challenge to contest a volley that brushed the line, before a long backhand gives the Swiss the game. Frustration fills Murray's face as he watches an ideal start pass him by.
BREAK! A couple of aces seem to get Murray out of a hole at 15-30 down, but his serve then escapes him as he double faults to take the scores to deuce. Federer wastes a first break point with a wild, long backhand return, only for Murray to gift him another with a poor volley into the net and this time he takes it as Murray hits a forehand long under little duress. His second challenge is out of annoyance more than expectation.
Federer holds to love and produces a sublime down-the-line winner in the process. The 33-year-old strides to his seat with purpose and confidence as the players swap sides, but already a muttering Murray is staring elimination in the face.
BREAK! A delicate volley at the net, a thunderous forehand down the line and simple smash conversion, already Federer is in full flow and Murray has absolutely no answer at present. The Swiss breaks to love and Murray's ATP Tour Finals campaign is suffering a stinging death.
More one-way traffic. The Scot surrenders game five with a weak forehand which flies wide. He has not won a point for three games and needs to buck up his game quickly as he's one game away from an early exit.
SET! Federer takes the first set and with it go Murray's hopes of reaching the semi-finals. That was his best service game yet, but three unforced errors and he is out within 23 minutes of the contest starting. Hugely disappointing.
As poor as Murray was - that was his first bagel set loss in over four years - Federer was unplayable at times during that first set and this type of form might put the frighteners on Djokovic.
Cheers, whether they are ironic or not is difficult to say, greet a Murray point at 40-0 down - only the ninth point he has won in the match. But that is just the smallest glimmer of light as Federer closes out another easy hold with a deep forehand which Murray can only flick back a few yards long.
BREAK! Federer punishes an 80mph second serve with a emphatic forehand winner, but Murray pegs him back to 30-15 despite an unconvincing overhead. The Swiss responds with the perfect combination of force and finesse, thundering the ball up the line before meeting Murray's return with the subtlest of drop shots. The British number one's second double fault fives Federer break point, and he takes it by capitalising on another weak second serve.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion has really been giving Murray the runaround, and is perhaps so pumped up that a couple of unnecessarily-aggressive forehands fly wide. The Scot surrenders a promising position at 15-30 up by firing a forehand long, and Federer then throws a serve out wide which the Scot can only return into the net. Another misfired return gifts Federer a ninth game on the bounce.
BREAK! Murray's unforced errors count rises to 20 following a game in which he had two game points. Another double fault puts him on the back foot, but a strong reply, including a great crosscourt forehand on the defence, takes him to 40-30. From then on, it is a series of mistakes as three times he hits long to help gift Federer the game. There is now a real danger that Murray will not even get on the board here.
The total destruction continues. A double fault greeted by a gasp of shock from the crowd shows that Federer is indeed human, but two delightful volleys at the net, the second of which was quite extraordinary, help the Swiss reel off another game. Murray must win the next to avoid a humiliating double bagel.
Phew. Relief for Murray as he avoids a first 6-0 6-0 defeat since his junior days in 2003. It didn't appear as if that would be the case when a fourth double of the contest sent him 0-30 down, but the scoreline has allowed Federer to take chances and he pushes his luck with a couple of wide forehands. A strong Murray serve out wide secures him his first game as Federer's return falls short of the net.
GAME, SET, MATCH! The torture is over for Murray as Federer records a 6-0 6-1 victory inside an hour which sees him top Group B, and Murray go home with his tail between his legs. Nishikori's position in the last four is confirmed with this emphatic defeat to the British number one.
A horrible end to the season for Murray, who was humbled by a masterclass from one of the sport's all-time greats. The Scot's expression at the end of the match said it all; even he was surprised by what Federer produced out there. That was a statement from the Swiss. Was Novak Djokovic watching?
That's it from me. I was expecting to share your company for a little while longer, but Federer soon put an end to that! Thanks for joining Sports Mole this evening. Tune back in for coverage of Cilic vs. Wawrinka and Djokovic vs. Berdych from London tomorrow. Until then...
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
