2014 ATP YEC: Djokovic Clinches 2014 Year End Ranking; Faces Kei In SF, Federer-Wawrinka

The race for the 2014 Year-End #1 ranking is over. By winning his match relatively easily against Tomas Berdych 6-2 6-2 today and qualifying for the ATP World Tour Year-End Championships semifinals by winning all 3 of his round-robin matches, Novak Djokovic achieved his goal of reaching the #1 spot for the 3rd time in 4 years (2011, 2012 and 2014). World #2 Roger Federer can not overtake Djokovic in the rankings even if he beats him in the year-end championship match. Federer also emerged from his round-robin group undefeated, after demolishing Andy Murray 6-0 6-1. The fact that the race for #1 came down to almost the very end of the season is a testament to Federer's great play all year long, even if he did not win a major. He will end the year at World #2 after ending last year at #6.

The semifinals will be a reprise of the 2014 US Open semifinal with Kei Nishikori versus Djokovic and Swiss countrymen Stan Wawrinka and Federer will face off in the other (a reprise of the 2014 Wimbledon quarterfinals). I would be very surprised if we did not see a reprise of the 2014 Wimbledon final and the 2012 Year-End Championship  match between Federer and Djokovic, both of which were won by the younger player.

This means that the #1 ranking has been held by either Federer (5), Nadal (3) or Djokovic (3) for 11 consecutive years, from 2004 through 2014.