The permutations ahead of the ATP World Tour Finals at London's O2
Monday 2 November 2015 12:40, UK
With the race towards the ATP World Tour Finals at London's O2 hotting up nicely, we take a look at who has made it and who needs to do what with just Valencia, Basel and the Paris Masters to come before the season-ending finale - which is live on Sky Sports!
World No 1 Novak Djokovic will be aiming to land a fourth consecutive year-end title after becoming the first men's player since Ivan Lendl in 1987 to claim three successive crowns last year.
The dominant Serb is also on a 31-match winning streak indoors so when the top eight players in the world converge in the capital, they will all be aiming to dethrone the king.
The world's biggest indoor tennis tournament, features the world's best eight singles players and doubles teams, and will be played November 15-22 at The O2 in London.
Here, we break down the runners and riders ahead of this year's mouthwatering extravaganza.
1. Novak Djokovic - 14,285 points (Q)
The 28-year-old from Belgrade has already made it through to London having claimed three out of the four Grand Slams in a dominant year which has seen him land nine titles. He is currently 73-5 for the season and will be hot favourite to make it four World Tour wins on the trot.
Titles
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai (Outdoor/Hard)
Beijing (Outdoor/Hard)
US Open (Outdoor/Hard)
Wimbledon (Outdoor/Grass)
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome (Outdoor/Clay)
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo (Outdoor/Clay)
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami (Outdoor/Hard)
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells (Outdoor/Hard)
Australian Open (Outdoor/Hard)
2. Andy Murray - 7,870 points (Q)
The two-time Grand Slam winner has qualified for the season-ending show for a seventh time with four titles to his name this year. He is back up to world No 2 for the second time this season and was an Australian Open finalist as well as semi-finalist at the French Open and Wimbledon. His win-loss record currently stands at 64-11 for the season, but he has the dilemma of playing on hard courts in Paris and London before attempting to lead Great Britain to Davis Cup glory in Belgium on clay at the end of November.
Titles
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada (Outdoor/Hard)
London / Queen's Club (Outdoor/Grass)
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid (Outdoor/Clay)
Munich (Outdoor/Clay)
3. Roger Federer - 6,750 (Q)
The Swiss maestro will be making his 14th consecutive appearance at the season-ending spectacular and although he has opted to pick and choose which tournaments to play in this year, his form has been consistent having equalled the number of titles he won last year on the ATP circuit. Although the great man failed to add to his 17 Grand Slam titles he can list Wimbledon and US Open runners-up prizes as another solid achievement this year. He is 53-9 for the year and 1049-236 for his career.
Titles
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati (Outdoor/Hard)
Halle (Outdoor/Grass)
Istanbul (Outdoor/Clay)
Dubai (Outdoor/Hard)
Brisbane (Outdoor/Hard)
4. Stan Wawrinka - 6,140 (Q)
It has been the most successful season of Wawrinka's career having won four titles and a second career major thanks to an inspirational four-set win over world No 1 Novak Djokoic in the final of the French Open. The Swiss and his colourful shorts have been a shining light in what has been a difficult year in terms of his own personal life. The former Australian Open champion is 50-14 on the season and will be a dark horse in London.
Titles
Tokyo (Outdoor/Hard)
Roland Garros (Outdoor/Clay)
Rotterdam (Indoor/Hard)
Chennai (Outdoor/Hard)
5. Rafa Nadal - 4,330 (Q)
The left-hander from Spain has walked away with three ATP titles and is finding his best form at the back end of what has been one of the most difficult seasons of his career. His recent performances in China has seen him climb the rankings and qualify for the season-ending tournament for the 11th consecutive season. Having also reached finals in Madrid and Beijing he is searching for his first title in the capital having had to settle for the runners-up prize in 2010 and 2013. He boasts a 52-17 match record on the season and 300-63 at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments.
Titles
Hamburg (Outdoor/Clay)
Stuttgart (Outdoor/Grass)
Buenos Aires (Outdoor/Clay)
6. Tomas Berdych - 4,280 (Q)
The Czech made another impressive start to the season but failed to capitalise on his dominance in terms of titles. Berdych did win his 11th ATP World Tour title in Shenzhen and reached three other finals in Doha, Rotterdam and at the Monte Carlo Masters. Berdych, who has compiled a 51-18 match record on the season, will make his sixth consecutive appearance at the ATP World Tour Finals where his best achievement has been reaching the semi-finals in 2011.
Titles
Shenzhen (Outdoor/Hard)
7. Kei Nishikori - 3,945
Hard-hitting Japanese baseliner and last year's US Open finalist has suffered from hip and toe injuries this season but has still managed to win three ATP titles. Although he has yet to officially qualify for London, he is in prime position to secure one of the last two places on offer. The 25-year-old, who is 52-13 for the season, will be hoping to make his fifth appearance in London where he reached the semi-finals last year.
Titles
Washington (Outdoor/Hard)
Barcelona (Outdoor/Clay)
Memphis (Indoor/Hard)
8. David Ferrer - 3,445
The experienced Spaniard holds the final spot in the race for the O2 and seems fully deserving of his place having had his best campaign for three years. Despite pulling out of Wimbledon with an elbow injury, the 33-year-old has rediscovered his consistency and is 47-12 for the season.
Titles
Kuala Lumpur (Indoor/Hard)
Acapulco (Outdoor/Hard)
Rio de Janeiro (Outdoor/Clay)
Doha (Outdoor/Hard)
The outsiders…
9. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 2,500
The big-hitting Frenchman has found his best form at the back-end of what has been a pretty hit and miss season. Tsonga has risen to ninth in the Race To London after reaching the Shanghai Rolex Masters final recently but will need to probably win the Erste Bank Open in Vienna in the hope of continuing his quest to return to the season finale for the fourth time and first since 2012.
Titles
Metz (Indoor/Hard)
10. Richard Gasquet - 2,445
Gasquet has won two ATP titles this year to add to his collection of silverware. At Wimbledon the 29-year-old ousted former semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov, former quarter-finalist Nick Kyrgios and recent French Open Champion Stan Wawrinka in a classic battle of the beautiful backhands. He was eventually brushed aside by eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. He is required to win the Stockholm Open to keep his slim hopes alive.
Titles
Estoril (Outdoor/Clay)
Montpellier (Indoor/Hard)
11. Kevin Anderson - 2,385
The tall South African had a very successful grass-court campaign, reaching the Queen's Club final before losing in five sets to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. His improvement continued at the US Open where he defeated Andy Murray to advance to his first ever quarter-finals at a major after seven failed attempts. He is 42-21 for the year and sealed his first ATP title in three years with success at the Winston-Salem in North Carolina. He will be required to win the Erste Bank Open in Vienna to stand any chance of reaching London.
Titles
Winston-Salem (Outdoor/Hard)
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