Roger Federer Defeats Janko Tipsarevic at 2012 ATP World Finals

Swiss tennis star Roger Federer cruised to an opening-match win at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London on Tuesday, beating Serbian opponent Janko Tipsarevic in straight sets (6-3, 6-1).

The six-time ATP World Tour Finals champion, Federer is the favorite in the eyes of many to repeat again this November. Federer has won the competition's last two singles tournaments in London and is one of only two contenders in this year's field to have won this tournament in the past (the other being Novak Djokovic, 2008). 

The win also signals Federer's record 40th match win at the ATP World Tour Finals.

What It Means

Federer's dominant win in his first match at the ATP World Tour Finals means that he is atop the Group B standings early on. He is in excellent position to advance to the semifinals, barring a collapse against his next two opponents.

The 31-year-old has been in this position before and knows better than anyone else in the field how to attack the unusual round-robin format.

What's Next

The world No. 2 still has two matches left to play in the round-robin stage against Juan Martin del Potro and David Ferrer on Thursday and Saturday. But his straight-sets victory over Tipsarevic is huge. Federer will have a great shot at advancing to the semifinals if he can earn another straight-sets victory over either Del Potro or Ferrer. 

If Federer wins his final two matches, he'll guarantee himself a spot in the semifinals, which are set to begin on Sunday, November 11 from London's O2 Arena. 

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