The Stat Sheet: ATP Finals truly an international affair

The final four at the ATP Finals is set, with Germany’s Alexander Zverev slated to take on Swiss Roger Federer, while Serbia’s Novak Djokovic will face Kevin Anderson of South Africa.

They battled through to the semifinals of the round-robin event in a field that also included Dominic Thiem of Austria, Japan’s Kei Nishikori, Croatia’s Marin Cilic and John Isner of the United States.

That’s eight players from eight different countries—an occurrence that seems to be the norm of late.

For the third year running, none of the players who competed in the tournament in London had a compatriot on their side, making this the longest streak since the year-end tournament switched to an eight-man round robin in 1986.

This year, the closest two countrymen came to qualifying was with Cilic and Borna Coric, who was in London as an alternate this year. Croatia’s No. 2 shot up the rankings to land near the cusp of the Top 10.

For the other seven players, it’s lonely near the top: They’re the only ones from their countries currently ranked in the Top 20.

The smallest nations, though, have sent multiple representatives to the finals in the past. Djokovic was joined by his compatriot Janko Tipsarevic in 2012, while Federer has been in the field with three-time Slam winner Stan Wawrinka. Those two battled through an epic semifinal in 2014, when Federer had to fight off multiple match points to advance.

It could be some time before Anderson, Zverev, Thiem or Nishikori potentially face off against someone from their homeland. Isner, making his debut this year, followed Jack Sock into the tournament, but the 2017 semifinalist has a way to go in his climb back up the singles rankings.

It’s not outside of the realm of possibility for multiple Americans to make the season-ending championships: After all, back in 1989, five players from the U.S. qualified for the year-end Masters, as it was known then, in New York. A legend (John McEnroe), two veterans (Brad Gilbert and Aaron Krickstein) and two teenagers (Michael Chang and Andre Agassi) represented the U.S., the most players from one nation to play in the tournament in its 32-year history as a round-robin event.

Follow Van on Twitter: @Van_Sias

This Week on Tennis Channel:

ATP Finals (Sun - Sun 11.11 - 11.18) - Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and the world's best collide in the season Finale. Live coverage begins on Tennis Channel Sunday at 7:00am EST.