Novak Djokovic v Tomas Berdych, ATP World Tour Finals: as it happened

Game, set and match! Djokovic 6-2, 6-2 Berdych Berd can't retrieve a Djok forehand and the Serb moves up 15-0, before producing an excellent forehand winner to make it 30-0. A perfectly placed forehand makes it 40-0 and after 68 minutes, the Serb has three match points. He only needs one as Berd goes wide with a forehand. Djokovic wins 6-2, 6-2, and will finish the year as world No 1! Djokovic* 6-2, 5-2 Berdych (*denotes next server) Berd kicks the game off with some strong serving to go up 30-0 but Nole responds with one of the finest backhands you will see - an absolutely stunning ripper up the line off a booming Berd forehand. Berd then produces a strong serve to get to 40-15 and he very adroitly chases down a Djoker drop shot to hold his serve.Djokovic 6-2, 5-1 Berdych* (*denotes next server) Berd moves ahead with an excellent service return, but three errors hand the initiative straight back to Nole who moves up to 40-15 and then wraps up the game with an ace down the t.Djokovic* 6-2, 4-1 Berdych (*denotes next server) A classy serve-backhand winner combo gets Berd to 15-0, but Novak responds with a rasping forehand winner to make it 15-15, and a netted Berd backhand has us at 15-30. Berd then produces a serve and volley play, and a surprised Djoko hits the net with a forehand return. The resistance is temporary though and a long backhand from Berd presents Nole with yet another break point. He wastes the chance with a forehand into the net and an excellent Berd backhand gets him a game point. Berd is also in wasteful mood though and again goes long with a backhand. Djok returns the favour off a big Berd first serve and the Czech wins the game when Nole nets a forehand return.Andrew Benton has quite reasonably pointed out that an exclamation mark after saying 'Djokovic breaks' is a touch unnecessary. Fair point from Andrew, who also has something to say about the fashion choices made by the players...

More importantly, why are they both wearing such dreary unphotogenic garb? All that black can't be good for image makers. Lots of dark outfits at the ATP in Beijing in Oct, Murray noticeably, but maybe that fitted his mood....

Djokovic 6-2, 4-0 Berdych* (*denotes next server) A long rally at 15-15 goes Nole's way, and he moves into a 30-15 lead despite Berd's best efforts. An unreturned serve makes it 40-15, and another means it's game Djokovic, who has lost just seven points on his serve all match.

Djokovic* 6-2, 3-0 Berdych (*denotes next server) You really do run out of superlatives for Novak, who starts the game with a tremendously angled backhand passing shot winner. Berd wins the next point but he then hits the net with a forehand and it's 15-30, before a wide forehand makes it 15-40. The Czech then goes horribly wide with a backhand and it's the double break. Hard to see any way back for the Berdman now. DJOKOVIC BREAKS!

Djokovic 6-2, 2-0 Berdych* (*denotes next server) The pair exchange the first two points of the game but Nole moves to 30-15 up with a Berd forehand into the net. It's quickly 40-15 as the Djoker shows some excellent touch at the net to deliver another perfect drop volley. Berd is then long with a forehand return and the Serb consolidates the break.

Djokovic* 6-2, 1-0 Berdych (*denotes next server) Berd starts the set positively by winning the first point and moving to 30-0 with an ace down the t. Djoko is then long with a forehand and it's 40-0. A missed Berd forehand and a double fault make it 40-30, before another forehand error has us at deuce. Berd is still aggressive though and gets himself another game point when he forces Nole to go long after a deep approach shot. This one also comes and goes as the Czech can't control a backhand slice which flies long. Inevitably he makes another forehand error, and Djoko has a break point. Suffice it to say, he takes it when Berd goes wide with an attempted forehand passing shot. DJOKOVIC BREAKS!

Djokovic 6-2 Berdych* (*denotes next server) A winner off either wing moves Djoko up to 30-0 before a framed lob from Berd makes it 30-15. Djok though takes the next point when Berd is long with a forehand pass, and it's two set points. He only needs the one as Berd can't keep his return in play, and that is the first set. By winning that set, Djoker confirms his place in the semi-finals here. DJOKOVIC WINS THE FIRST SET 6-2!Djokovic* 5-2 Berdych (*denotes next server) Lovely stuff from the Czech to move up 30-0 with first a backhand pasisng shot and then an excellent smash from the back of the court (one of the hardest shots in tennis we're often told). The flurry of Berd points seems to anger Djoko though and he rips a forehand return to make it 30-15. A forehand error from the Serb then makes it 40-15, but Berd returns the favour and it's 40-30. Djok nets a forehand though and it's game Berdman.

Djokovic 5-1 Berdych* (*denotes next server) A wonderful kick second serve gives Nole a 15-0 lead but he duffs an attempted drop shot and it's 15-15. Berd then moves up 15-30 with a second Nole error, but a good first serve forces the Berd into a forehand long before the Czech attempts a backhand service winner but it too is long. A netted Berd forehand later and it's Nole's game.Djokovic* 4-1 Berdych (*denotes next server) Berd can't get a first serve in at the moment, but you have to take your hat off to the Serb who moves to 0-30 up with a beautifully angled forehand drive crosscourt. Credit Berd for plugging away though and he reduces the deficit with a smash to make it 15-30,before delivering an ace to make it 30-30. Djoko then hits an uncharacteristically loose backhand and Berd has a game point! And he's taken it as Djoko hits a backhand into the net. The crowd go wild.

John McEnerney thinks Nole v Rog is too hard to call at the moment...I'd say Novak will want to annihilate TB to show the world anything Federer can do I can do better, well he'll have to produce something to top what Fed did last night but I think TB won't take a mauling like AM did & show more backbone than AM did. Novak is just too on for all of these guys except Fed. We'll see in the final if Fed can topple Novak.

Djokovic 4-0 Berdych* (*denotes next server) An ace and the most sumptous drop volley you will ever see get Djoker to 30-0 up but a backhand into the net makes it 30-15. Another stupendous drop volley helps Nole get to 40-15, and he secures the game with yet another drop volley. This is really sensational stuff from the world No 1.Arnaud, has written in to pledge his allegiance to Roger Federer...Although I am an unconditional supporter of RF, I must admit I think Nole is going to win the sunday final against Roger.The surface is very slow, which is going to help Nole return Roger's serve and offer Djoko the slow conditions he likes. On the other hand I d prefer to see Roger win, and win the Davis Cup final as well. If so, Whatever the ranking, Roger would deserve to be No 1.Djokovic* 3-0 Berdych (*denotes next server) Positive stuff from Berd to start the game as he moves 15-0 up with a strong backhand volley, but Djoko gets back to 15-15 when Berdcan't retrieve a stunning crosscourt forehand. A missed backhand volley makes it 15-30 and a deep backhand service return forces Berd into the net - two break points for Nole. He misses the first with a backhand error but takes the second one after Berd goes wide with a forehand. DJOKOVIC BREAKS!

Djokovic 2-0 Berdych* (*denotes next server) Berd starts the game with two forehand errors, but gets his first point and some fairly patronizing cheers from the crowd when Nole is long with a forehand. Novak then chucks in a double fault and it's 30-30, but an ace restores order to make it 40-30 and the Serb wraps the game up when Berdych nets a forehand.

Djokovic* 1-0 Berdych (*denotes next server) Oh dear, not an ideal start for the Berdman. The first point goes Nole's way courtesy of a bruising backhand down the line, and it's quickly 0-30 when Berd nets a forehand. Another Berd shot into the net, this time on the backhand, hands Djoko a 0-40 lead and three break points. He only needs one as Berd can't get back a strong backhand return. DJOKOVIC BREAKS TO LOVE!

14.13 The warm-up is over and Berdych will serve first. Here we go...

14.07 Berd wins the toss and elects to serve. Warm-up to follow, and then we'll be underway. I'm going for a 6-1, 6-2 Djokovic win. What do you reckon?

14.04 Djokovic and Berdych spout some platitudes to Leif Shiras, and with that out of the way, we are ready to rock 'n' roll. The players navigate their way through the billowing smoke and are on court for what will hopefully be the second three-setter at this tournament in as many days.

13.59 A bizarre exchange follows in the studio, as Annabel Croft says Djokovic is so pedantic that he practically has 'ACDC'. The panel laugh, and Marcus Buckland knowingly interjects 'ADD'. Pretty sure she meant OCD guys, and while we're at it I think ADD is now known as ADHD. You really expect better knowledge of anxiety disorders from Sky's tennis experts.

13.55 Djokovic's coachBoris Becker says it's 'very rare' to have played to such a high level so consistently as Novak has done this year. The German then starts talking about the 'meaning of life' and Djokovic's wife and child, and it all gets a bit weird.

13.50 The doubles has finished, with Lukasz Kubot and Robert Lindstedt beating Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau 6-4, 7-6. So that means there's nothing but some portentious video montages between us and the start of the Djokovic v Berdych clash. When asked after he beat Cilic what he could do to beat Djokovic, the Berd shrugged his shoulders and humourously asked the crowd what they thought. Hopefully he has developed a game plan since then, but it would take one of the performances of his career to get the win today with Novakl in such irresistible form.

13.42 A reminder that a win today will see Djokovic finish the year as world No 1. And what a year it's been for him - he's won five titles in 2014, including Wimbledon and four Masters events at Paris, Rome, Miami and Indian Wells. Berdych, the world No 7, meanwhile has won two tournaments this year (Rotterdam and Stockholm), and it's his fifth consecutive appearance at the World Tour Finals. His best Grand Slam performance in 2014 came at the Australian Open where he reached the semi-final. He has not reached a slam final since he went down to Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2010.

13.29 Just looking at the head-to-head in a bit more detail, Berd's last win against Novak came at the Rome Masters, while his only other win was at Wimbledon 2010. The Serb has won the other 16 meetings between the two, including the 6-0, 6-2 shellacking he dished out at the Beijing final last month. Today is also the battle of two high-street clothes stores, with Djokovic wearing Uniqlo and Berdych clad in H&M. Intriguing sub-plots everywhere you look really.13.18 The below outlines the various qualification permutations for Group A today (thanks to the Beeb for putting it together)

13.15 Hello, and welcome to game-by-game coverage of Novak Djokovic v Tomas Berdych, in both players final Group A match at the ATP World Tour Finals. I will provide a full debrief on all the various qualification permutations, but esssentially: Nole wins the group if he wins, and Berdych needs to win to have any chance of progressing. To be honest, many of the possible scenarios are extremely unlikey to happen as Novak is overwhelmingly the favourite for this one. He has a 16-2 winning record against the Berdman, and has been in blistering form this week, claiming two victories for the loss of just five games. The Czech meanwhile was dreadful in losing 6-1, 6-1 in his first match against Stan Wawrinka, and although he impressed in fits and starts against Marin Cilic, there was little to suggest he is going to trouble Djokovic today.

11.15 Charlie Eccleshare will be here with all the pre-match build-up and live action from about 1.15pm so do return then.

Novak Djokovic goes into this final pool match with two victories from two games, while Tomas Berdych has won one and lost one. There is literally, sort of, all to play for.