What are the chances of Federer and Nadal being placed in the same group at WTF?

[Mike Sams]

It was never possible before but now it is since Nadal is #2 and Federer is #4. They've played in the semifinals a few times now this year in Madrid and Miami. And since the match is still a super attractive one to fans, ticket buyers surely would love to see these guys compete in the round robin stage and even better, the semifinals stage if they qualify.
Is there a chance the event organizers will try to 'push' a little harder to put Nadal and Federer in the same group this year?

Yippee. I love big tournaments. More conspiracy theory threads.

[pame]

And just how would the organizers push this when it's a straightforward case of one group being the even-numbered, and the other group being the odd-numbered? Duh!

Wrong too...

[Mike Sams]

Originally Posted by pame

And just how would the organizers push this when it's a straightforward case of one group being the even-numbered, and the other group being the odd-numbered? Duh!

sorry, my bad.

Originally Posted by Mike Sams

sorry, my bad.

That's not how the draw is made. Lol. I don't know where people get their info.

[pame]

Originally Posted by woodrow1029

Wrong too...

Doh. My bad. Juzt looked back at last year's.

[pame]

Originally Posted by woodrow1029

That's not how the draw is made. Lol. I don't know where people get their info.

I obviously made a mistake and unreservedly apologise to Mike Sam -- but it would help, since you seem to know, if you actually said how it's made. That way Mike and I might walk away from here knowing a little more, you figure?

[seffina]

Originally Posted by pame

I obviously made a mistake and unreservedly apologise to Mike Sam -- but it would help, since you seem to know, if you actually said how it's made. That way Mike and I might walk away from here knowing a little more, you figure?

Really easy - 1 in top, 2 in bottom. 3&4 distributed randomly, 5&6 randomly, 7&8 randomly. So it could be 1,3,5,7 ... or 1,4,5,7 or 1,3,6,7 or..1,4,6,8.. you get the point.

But of course, it's not really random. It'll be whatever gives Murray the easiest path.

[Beryl]

If they want a Fed-Nadal final, this would help them too, as they are guaranteed not to meet in the semis if they are drawn together.

[jamesblakefan#1]

Originally Posted by Beryl

If they want a Fed-Nadal final, this would help them too, as they are guaranteed not to meet in the semis if they are drawn together.

It also lessens the chance of them both even making the SF if they're in the same group, though given the weakness of everyone after 4 this year that may not be the case.

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by jamesblakefan#1

It also lessens the chance of them both even making the SF if they're in the same group, though given the weakness of everyone after 4 this year that may not be the case.

Berdych and Tsonga are threats to defeat Federer, so they'd draw Ferrer and Fish into any Nadal+Federer group. That way, it's almost guaranteed that Nadal and Federer both advance.

So there you go:

Group 1 = Nole, Muzza, Berd, Jo-Willy
Group 2 = Nadal, Fed, Ferrer, Fish

[Towser83]

Originally Posted by Mike Sams

It was never possible before but now it is since Nadal is #2 and Federer is #4. They've played in the semifinals a few times now this year in Madrid and Miami. And since the match is still a super attractive one to fans, ticket buyers surely would love to see these guys compete in the round robin stage and even better, the semifinals stage if they qualify.
Is there a chance the event organizers will try to 'push' a little harder to put Nadal and Federer in the same group this year?

I don't think they can meet in the semis if they are in the same group (winner of one groupls plays runner up of the other group and vice versa) but they could meet in the RR and final, like Federer and Nalbandian in 2005 for instance.

They've met in the semis twice, 2006 and 2007, Federer winning both.

[nadalwon2012]

Tsonga and Murray are the only guys who can prevent a Fedal Final.