Defending champion Novak Djokovic has been handed an early showdown with Roger Federer as the world No. 1 launches his bid for a fourth successive ATP Tour Finals title. Djokovic arrives in south London hoping to win the prestigious season-ending event for a fifth time to cap another remarkable year that saw him win three Grand Slam crowns and cement his position on top of the world rankings. The 28-year-old Serb will get a quick test of his appetite for further success on the banks of the River Thames when he faces Swiss great Federer in the 43rd installment of their rivalry. They are tied at 21 wins each, with Djokovic defeating Federer in the Wimbledon and US Open finals this year. Federer is no slouch at the Tour Finals either, having won the tournament a record six times, but not even he reeled off four successive titles and Djokovic would become the first player to achieve that impressive feat if he lifts the trophy on Nov. 22. If Djokovic triumphs he will also draw level with Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl as five-time Tour Finals winners. Also in Djokovic's group are Japan's Kei Nishikori, his first opponent when the event gets underway Sunday, and Czech world No. 5 Tomas Berdych. "This has been, by far, the most successful season of my life and I just try to better it," Djokovic said. Despite having won so much over the last 11 months, 10-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic has shown no signs of easing up as the season winds down. Since losing to Federer in the Cincinnati final in August, Djokovic has embarked on a 22-match winning run that has brought him the US Open, the China Open and Masters 1000 titles in Shanghai and Paris. The other group in the round-robin tournament, which features the world's top eight players, sees Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka and David Ferrer pitted together. Most of the interest in that group will focus on former Wimbledon champion Murray. The world No. 2 has never won the Tour Finals, but he may not be too concerned if he makes an early exit on home turf this year as he has made the Davis Cup his No. 1 priority in recent months. Murray has led Great Britain in its first Davis Cup final in 37 years and his country will bid for a first title since 1936 when it faces Belgium in Ghent less than a week after the end of the Tour Finals. Finals to stay in London The ATP World Tour Finals will remain in London until 2018, the event's chief Chris Kermode revealed Thursday. ATP chief executive Kermode confirmed a deal had been agreed for London to play host to the world's top eight players for three more years. Since first staging the Tour Finals in 2009, the 02 Arena in south-east London has proved a huge hit with both the players and the fans who have flocked to fill its 20,000-capacity for the eight-day run each year. Kvitova to open Fed Cup final against Pavlyuchenkova Petra Kvitova will open the Fed Cup final against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova when the defending champion Czech Republic faces Russia. The sixth-ranked Czech is 6-3 against the Russian and will look to give the host a good start in its quest for fourth title in five years. The Czechs won the Fed Cup in 2011, ‘12 and last year, while Russia is seeking its first triumph since 2008. Fourth-ranked Maria Sharapova will open her first Fed Cup final against Karolina Pliskova in the second singles Saturday on an indoor hard court at O2 Arena. In Sunday's reverse singles, Kvitova will first play Sharapova, then Pliskova will take on Pavlyuchenkova. In doubles, the Czech pair of Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova will play Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina. — Agencies
