ATP World Tour Finals 2013 Day 3: Nadal secures year-end No.1

Wimbledon.com's highlights from the third day of the  Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at London's O2 Arena...

Nadal secures yet another milestone
Rafael Nadal became the first player to hold, lose, and re-gain the year-end No.1 ranking three times - 2008, 2010, and 2013, and that over a six-year time-span - and all he had to do was beat Stanislas Wawrinka to get it back. Poor Wawrinka put up a battling performance that would have earned him at least a set against anyone else, but failed to do anything about his set-less record against the Spaniard. 26 played, 26 lost.

With Nadal's turbo-spun groundstrokes bouncing high up into Wawrinka's body, the Swiss clung on, and even had a set point to take the afternoon encounter to a decider, having ripped one of his trademark forehands inside out cross court. But Nadal muscled it back, and, although he had talked down the significance of ending the year as world No.1, the cheerful celebration and permanent grin suggested he was pretty pleased about it. 

"[It is] one of the best things that I have done in my career – coming back to the No.1 after three seasons. That's very difficult in our sport… and the good thing is [that] after two matches now, I can really be focused only on the tournament because the year end is over."

This is the 10th straight season that the year-end world No.1 ranking has been held by Nadal (2008, '10, '13), Federer (2004-07, '09) or Novak Djokovic (2011-12).

In so doing, Nadal also advanced to the semi-finals of the season finale, one win away from his 14th final of the year, and a potential 11th title. 

"I am in semi-finals," he saidl. "I am very far away from winning this title. Winning two matches already is a very positive thing for me. But, seriously, even if I am in semi-finals, on this surface, I am not the favourite. I know that. But I am going to try. We'll see if that happens."

Nadal's fellow Spaniards, Fernando Verdasco & David Marrero, are also through to the semi-finals, after beating US Open champions Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek  6-4, 7-6(5). 

There was less luck for his compatriot David Ferrer though, the Spaniard beaten by Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-4 in the second of the day's singles matches. It is Ferrer's seventh week of competition in a row. 

Remembering Brad Drewett
The ATP have released two videos commemorating the legacy of the ATP's former Executive Chairman, whose name this year adorns the World Tour Finals trophy.

You can watch them here and here.  

Silverware
For the umpteenth year in a row, Roger Federer picked up a host of ATP awards.  

Big friendly ball kid
Juan Martin Del Potro stooped down to a rather smaller height as he spent the afternoon with the Barclays Ball Kids.

 “I was 10 years old [when I was a ball boy] at an [ITF] Futures tournament in Buenos Aires and I remember all the players who played that tournament," Del Potro said. "I know how big it is for the Ball Kids, meeting all the players, giving the balls to all of us. They are so fast, they are so good, they make our job very easy.”

Coming up on Thursday

Afternoon Session (12:00 GMT)
Ivan Dodig & Marcelo Melo v Mariusz Fyrstenberg & Marcin Matkowski
Roger Federer v Richard Gasquet 

Evening Session (18:00 GMT)
Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan v Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi & Jean Julien Rojer
Novak Djokovic v Juan Martin Del Potro