TENNIS NEWS – WORLD TOUR FINALS GROUPS ANNOUNCED, WITH MURRAY AND WAWRINKA IN TOUGH FOURSOME BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 7th November 2016

TENNIS NEWS - WORLD TOUR FINALS GROUPS ANNOUNCED, WITH MURRAY AND WAWRINKA IN TOUGH FOURSOME BY RICKY DIMON

epa05606133 Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka returns a ball to USA's Donald Young during their round of sixteen match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, 27 October 2016. EPA/GEORGIOS KEFALAS |

The 2016 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals draw ceremony was held on Monday afternoon in London. World No. 1 Andy Murray, who triumphed at the BNP Paribas Masters on Sunday and reached the top spot in the rankings for the first time in his career on Monday, was done no favors by the draw. His group also includes Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, and Marin Cilic, while Novak Djokovic is in a foursome with Milos Raonic, Gael Monfils, and Dominic Thiem.

Raonic is questionable to turn up in London after sustaining a quadriceps injury in Paris, which forced him to give Murray a walkover in the semifinals. If the fourth-ranked Canadian withdraws, first alternate Tomas Berdych would take his place.

Murray may be ranked No. 1 right now, but he has not come close to clinching that distinction for the end of the year. In fact, the race remains so close that whoever fares better in London between Murray and Djokovic will almost certainly finish 2016 as the world’s best.

“Once you’re out on the court, you don’t think about your ranking,” Murray said via a conference call during the draw ceremony. “You’re playing against the top eight players in the world. I look forward to getting out there and playing at the O2. I’ll try and take a few days rest now, start hitting again on Thursday. I need a few days’ break.

“It will be one big push for all the guys. Everyone has played a lot of tennis and hopefully everyone can play well.”

“It’s a good draw,” added Monfils, also via Skype. “I’m very happy to be here. It’s the first time but I’m very proud to be a part of this big tournament. We work hard and now it’s paying off.”

Gael Monfils of France in action against Nick Kyrgios of Australia during the men’s singles semifinal match at the Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo, Japan, 08 October 2016. EPA/KIYOSHI OTA

The year-end championship begins this Sunday, starting with an afternoon showdown between Djokovic and Thiem. Raonic and Monfils will take part in Sunday’s nightcap. Murray will contest his opening tilt on Monday night against Cilic in a rematch of this summer’s Cincinnati Masters final, and they will be preceded by Wawrinka vs. Nishikori on Monday afternoon.

Group John McEnroe

1) Andy Murray

3) Stan Wawrinka

5) Kei Nishikori

7) Marin Cilic

Group Ivan Lendl

2) Novak Djokovic

4) Milos Raonic

6) Gael Monfils

8) Dominic Thiem