Updated on
Summary Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Andy Murray and others talk ahead of ATP World Tour finals in London.
Roger Federer will aim to finish an off key year on a high note by winning a record sixth title at the ATP World Tour finals which start on Sunday (November 20) at Londons O2 Arena, a venue more famous for staging the biggest acts in the music business.The world number four, who opens round robin action in the defence of his crown on day one against dangerous Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, is level in the season-ending tournaments roll of honour with Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras.Despite being the oldest player in the eight-man draw, and arriving with his lowest ranking since 2003, few would bet against the Swiss 16-times grand slam champion supplying a show-stopping end to a year dominated by Serbias Novak Djokovic.Federer has just turned 30 and has fallen behind Djokovic, Nadal and Murray in the rankings after a rare year without a major, but he is still the biggest draw in the sport.Successive titles in Basel and Paris in the run-in to London, surprisingly the first time he has won back-to-back tournaments since 2006, proved Federers mercurial game and remarkably injury-free body are in good shape as he prepares for his 10th consecutive appearance at the season-ender.Its my 10th year Ive qualified. I remember very clearly back in 2002 when I qualified for Shanghai how excited I was and 10 years later its still the same thing, Federer said.You wait for the groups to come out. I have, again, an extremely tough group as usual and then you kind of go from there but Im happy Im playing well towards the end of the season.Now in its third year beside the River Thames, the appeal of the tournament has never been higher with more than 250,000 people set to watch eight days of action at the event often dubbed the fifth grand slam.Nadal said: Its the last tournament of the year. Probably some times you arrive tired, some times you play against very difficult players and for me its the most difficult surface so if I am not playing very good its very difficult to win matches here.That happened in 2009 and in 2010 the situation changed a lot so I won four matches in a row and finally I lost the final against Roger (Federer). So anything can happen.With serious questions over the state of Djokovics serving shoulder and Nadal, who is also in Federers group along with American debutant Mardy Fish, not enjoying his best year away from his beloved European claycourts, the Swiss is arguably the favourite to claim the title again.Djokovic, who is a group with Murray, Czech Tomas Berdych and Spains David Ferrer, looks to have hit the wall after lifting three of the years four grand slam titles and seizing the number one ranking.The Serbian pulled out of the Paris Masters last week before his quarter-final with Tsonga citing pain from the shoulder injury that has dogged him since he won the U.S. Open.Despite being less than 100 percent fit, however, the 24-year-old will be keen to avoid a disappointing end to a superb season in which he has amassed a 69-4 record.I think health is a big word, Id rather say I had a couple of injuries and obviously the one after (the) Davis Cup was the abdominal tiered muscle which took four to five weeks to heal, Djokovic said.And then a little inflammation of the shoulder that prevented me from playing in Paris (Masters) in (the) quarter finals.I wasnt too happy about that but look its been a very long year, a very successful year as well; the best of my career and Im just happy to be out here and to be able to compete. In the last couple of days Ive been serving well in my practices and Im sure Im going to be ready and fit to compete.Home fans will be hoping world number three Murray can land the biggest title of his career, having lost a three-set semi-final classic against Nadal last year.Murray, who reached at least the semi-finals of all four grand slams this year, appears the most likely player to prevent Federer setting yet another record.The Scot, who begins his Group A matches against tenacious baseliner Ferrer on Monday, went on a red hot 17-match winning streak after the U.S. Open -- a run snapped by the clean-hitting Berdych in Paris last week.Murray said: I had a few niggles and stuff going into Paris and I wasnt necessarily best prepared and I still, you know the match that I lost against (Tomas) Berdych I had more than enough chances to win and didnt.He started to play better as the match went on so hes a tough, tough guy, a tough guy to play against as well. Hes going to be here (and) Ill get the chance to get my revenge in the group stages.Outside the big four, Tsonga could be the surprise package, having stayed clear of the injuries that have blighted his career to qualify for the season-ender for only the second time and the first time since 2008.
