Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will stage the last chapter of their battle to finish the year as world number one when the ATP Tour Finals get under way in London on Sunday.
Federer goes into the Tour Finals at the O2 Arena top of the world rankings, but the Wimbledon champion knows second placed Nadal can still snatch first place if the Spaniard wins the prestigious end-of-year event. The race for pole position is the latest installment of an enthralling rivalry between two of the sport’s all-time greats. Although Federer and Nadal remain friendly enough off the court, the Swiss star relishes his position as tennis’s pre-eminent force and has no intention of surrendering it over the next week. “I am aware of it (the race to finish world number one) and I would be lying if I said I was just here to play well,” said Federer, who kicks off his Group A campaign against Spain’s Fernando Verdasco on Sunday.
While Federer is setting his sights firmly on that number one position, Nadal is less concerned about the rankings. The four-time French Open champion has endured the most traumatic year of his career, with his parents’ separation proving a significant distraction before injury denied him the chance to defend his Wimbledon title. Now fully fit again Nadal, 23, claims he is just relieved to be able to test himself against the world’s best again.
British number one Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro, who beat the Swiss in September’s US Open final, are also in Federer’s group. Group B features Nadal, reigning Tour Finals champion Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko and Sweden’s Robin Soderling, who was handed his place when Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick pulled out through injury earlier this week.
London is staging the Finals for the first time in the event’s 40-year history and, while Federer and Nadal can’t meet before the semi-finals, the sell-out crowds in the English capital will see a host of other intriguing ties, starting with home favorite Murray’s clash against US Open champion Del Potro in the event’s opening match on Sunday.

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