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ATP London World Tour Finals Profile: Fernando Verdasco

Bookmark and Share by Nila Amerova

London, England – World No.8 Fernando Verdasco clinched the last spot at the London World Tour Finals last week during the Paris Masters when London contenders Robin Soderling and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga failed to make the mark. For most players the road to the season-ending Masters Cup begins at the onset of the season, when they strike first ball. Not so for Fernando Verdasco. His voyage began in November last year, when as a part of the Spanish Davis Cup team, sans Nadal and as massive underdogs, he and Co. arrived at Mar de Plata, Argentina to contest the Davis Cup final against the hosts.

The International event proved to be the watershed moment in the Spaniards career. Spain led the host nation Argentina 2-1 in the Davis Cup final, when Verdasco was picked to take the fourth rubber against Jose Acasuso. Verdasco got off to a good start by taking the first set but then quickly found himself trailing two to Acasuso.

Every once in a while someone succeeds in striking a blow for the little man. So it was at the time for Verdasco when he came back from two sets to one down to defeat Jose Acasuso 6-3, 6-7(3), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 and clinch the cup for Spain. Little man was Verdasco at the time because although he was talented he was an unrealized talent, in danger of being relegated to journeyman-hood for the remainder of his career.

Verdasco quickly proved however the breakthrough moment to be more than just a fleeting fancy as he was to deliver one of the best Grand Slam semi-finals of the 2009 season, maybe ever, when he came across Rafael Nadal at the 2009 Aussie Open. And it has been a positive trend since then for him.

Verdasco’s transformation this season from an obscure average player to a bona fide star is largely due to a commitment he made to improve as a player and a rigorous off season regiment courtesy of the Addidas group and Gils Reyes, former fitness guru for Andre Agassi. Verdasco has been a changed man, repackaged and re-launched ever since.

Road to London:

BetUS Futures odds for Verdasco listed at +2000

Season win/loss: 52-22

Since US Open win/loss: 9-5

Titles: New Haven

Finalist: Brisbane, Kuala Lumpur

Grand Slam highlights: Aussie Open semis; French Open and Wimbledon R16; US Open quarters

Top ten scalps: Andy Murray (R16 Aussie Open) and Jo Wilfried Tsonga (quarters Aussie Open).

Verdasco Head-to Heads with other World Tour Finals contenders:


  • vs. Roger Federer: 0-3
  • vs. Rafael Nadal: 0-9
  • vs. Novak Djokovic: 2-5
  • vs. Andy Murray: 1-7
  • vs. Juan Martin Del Potro: 0-0
  • vs. Andy Roddick: 2-9
  • vs. Nikolay Davydenko: 1-6

Betting Verdict: Verdasco was the last player to receive an invite to London and it was not exactly entirely of his own accord. Granted, he did a lot of work at the start of the season to position himself well but in the final stretch he got help from Djokovic and Nadal, each of whom aided his bid when they ousted Soderling and Tsonga, respectively, at the Paris Masters.

Appropriately, Verdasco is the long shot bet in London. Not only is he making his debut at the event but he has never won a major title – a Masters or a Grand Slam.

Indeed, Verdasco has had his best season ever but the case against him is that he has been straddling the fine line between good and excellence. One can only marvel at good for so long, even when it is better than his previous standard, before you wonder whether he has reached his tipping point. There is also his atrocious record against the entire field, save for Del Potro who he has yet to play against, to consider.

Prediction: Without help, don’t expect Verdasco to advance out of the group stage. Of course, much depends on the group within which he falls. Still there is a lot of pressure inherent at this event and Verdasco is not synonymous with the word. Clutch player he is not.