Bryans save five match points, advance in ATP Finals

Bob Bryan, right, and Mike Bryan, left, shown at
Indian Wells in March, clinched a berth in the semi-
finals of the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
Photo by Paul Bauman

   Saving five match points, top-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan stayed in contention for their fifth ATP World Tour Finals title and seventh straight year-end No. 1 ranking.
   The 37-year-old defending champions and former Stanford stars edged fourth-seeded Jamie Murray of Great Britain and John Peers of Australia 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5) [16-14] on Thursday in London to clinch a berth in Saturday's semifinals.
   Murray, the older brother of Andy Murray, and Peers had four match points at 9-5 in the match tiebreaker. On the fourth one, Peers slugged a putaway forehand long.
   Murray and Peers survived four match points themselves.
   The Bryans broke Daniel Nestor's record of 34 doubles match victories in the ATP Finals.

ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS

In London

Round-robin singles

   Roger Federer (3), Switzerland, def. Kei Nishikori (8), Japan, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
   Novak Djokovic (1), Serbia, def. Tomas Berdych (6), Czech Republic, 6-3, 7-5.

Standings

(Sets record in parentheses)

   Stan Smith group -- 1. *Roger Federer 3-0 (6-1), 2. *Novak Djokovic 2-1 (4-2), 3. Kei Nishikori 1-2 (3-5), 4. Tomas Berdych 0-3 (1-6).
   Ilie Nastase group -- 1. *Rafael Nadal 2-0 (4-0), 2. Andy Murray 1-1 (2-2), 3. Stan Wawrinka 1-1 (2-2), 4. David Ferrer 0-2 (0-4).
    *Clinched berth in Saturday's semifinals (top two players in each group after three matches advance to semis).

Round-robin doubles

    Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini (5), Italy, def. Rohan Bopanna, India, and Florin Mergea (8), Romania, 6-4, 1-6 [10-5]..
    Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (1), United States, def. Jamie Murray, Great Britain, and John Peers (4), Australia, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 16-14.

Standings

(Sets record in parentheses)

   Ashe/Smith group -- 1. *Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea 2-1 (5-2), 2. *Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 2-1 (4-3). 3. Jamie Murray and John Peers 1-2 (3-5), 4. Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini 1-2 (3-5).
   Fleming/McEnroe group -- 1. *Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau 2-0 (4-0), 2. Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut 1-1 (3-3), 3. Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 1-1 (2-3), 4. Marcin Matkowski and Nenad Zimonjic 0-2 (1-4).
   *Clinched berth in Saturday's semifinals (top two teams in each group after three matches advance to semis).