SHANGHAI, Nov 7 (AFP): There's no Rafael Nadal, but Generation Next poses a serious threat to Roger Federer's tilt at a Tennis Masters Cup hat- trick from Sunday.
Britain's Andy Murray heads a list of four new faces, including Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Juan Martin del Potro and Gilles Simon, at the least predictable season finale of recent years.
Murray is the man in form after a breakthrough spell in which he reached his first Grand Slam final and won back-to-back Masters series titles to go fourth in the world rankings.
"Since Wimbledon I've played the best tennis of my life, and hopefully I can keep it going," said the 21-year-old Scot.
Federer is chasing the first year-end title hat-trick since Ivan Lendl in 1985- 1987 and his fifth Masters Cup overall at the end of a difficult year.
But the former number one's bid could yet be undone by a stiff back which forced him to pull out of the Paris Masters quarter-finals a week ago.
Top-ranked Nadal has already disappointed Chinese fans by withdrawing, variously citing fatigue, tendinitis and the need to prepare for this month's Davis Cup final.
Federer faces Generation Next at Masters Cup
FE Team | Published: November 08, 2008 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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