Federer, Nadal drawn to face off in London preliminaries

Nov 15, 2011, 14:39 GMT

London - Holder Roger Federer will face a re-run of the 2010 final at the ATP World Tour Finals, as he plays in the preliminary stage after he and Rafael Nadal were drawn into round-robin Group B at the year-end event on Tuesday.

Federer won his fifth season-wrapup title a year ago as he beat his Spanish rival for the trophy.

The rest of the group will comprise Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Federer's finals victim at the Paris Masters and American Mardy Fish, hoping to be clear of a groin injury.

World number one Novak Djokovic heads Group A, setting up a clash with Scot Andy Murray in the preliminary stages of the competition which begins on Sunday.

The remainder of that selection: Spain's David Ferrer and Czech Tomas Berdych.

The top two from each group qualify for the semi-finals.

Federer heads into the event on top form, having lifted titles back-to-back in Basle and Paris. Djokovic showed no sign of a longstanding shoulder problem as he appeared on an Italian television variety show Monday after withdrawing last week before his Paris Bercy quarter-final against Tsonga.

Fish had been struggling with a groin muscle problem and had to quit his last two matches.

On-form Federer is ready for a week of battling to end the season. 'If Djokovic is fit and Murray is fit - which it seems like he is - they will be difficult to beat, and Rafa, regardless of how he's going to be, is always a tough customer.

'Everybody can beat everybody - I don't feel like five, six, seven and eight (players) have no chance - I definitely feel like they have a chance to go deep.

'I think these groups we're going to see have potential for everybody to win the tournament. It's not like in maybe other years where there was one or two such clear favourites, and after that it would have been a huge surprise.

'I think this year it's much more even, and that makes then the groups nicely balanced.'

Group A Novak Djokovic, Serbia; Andy Murray, Britain; David Ferrer, Spain; Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic

Group B Rafael Nada, Spain; Roger Federer, Switzerland; Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France; Mardy Fish, US

Read more about Great Britain