Roger Federer made a strong start to his bid to cap his golden year with a seventh ATP Tour Finals title as the Swiss star defeated Jack Sock 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) on Sunday. Four months after winning Wimbledon for a record eighth time just a few miles across London, Federer is back in the English capital aiming to cap a remarkably successful spell by lifting the silverware at the O2 Arena.
When Federer missed last year's Tour Finals through injury, it seemed possible he would never recapture his former glories. He came into 2017 having missed half of last season due to fitness problems and was without a Grand Slam title since 2012. But the 36-year-old has enjoyed a stunning renaissance, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon among seven titles - more than other male player over the last 11 months. Federer hasn't triumphed at the season-ending Tour Finals since 2011. But after seeing off Sock in his group opener, the world number two has now won his last 11 matches.
That dominant streak has already earned him titles in Shanghai and Basel, and he hopes to maintain that hot streak all the way to the Tour Finals crown next weekend. With defending champion Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka all absent from the Tour Finals due to injury, Federer and Rafael Nadal are the unquestioned headline acts. Having won the French and US Opens this year, Nadal has matched Federer's unexpectedly dominant run as the old rivals hoovered up all four of this year's Grand Slam crowns.
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