The Masters Cup kicks off late Saturday EST in the U.S., Sunday in Shanghai, with Argentine
David Nalbandian as the defending champ.
World No. 1
Roger Federer will look to put a stamp on a dominating season, in a difficult round robin grouping with Nalbandian, who he lost to in last year's final,
Ivan Ljubicic and
Andy Roddick.
The second round robin group contains two year-end championship rookies in
Tommy Robredo and
James Blake, battling an injured
Rafael Nadal who attempts to return from an abdominal injury, and the in-form
Nikolay Davydenko.
Federer is 10-3 vs. Ljubicic and 11-1 vs. Roddick, and has dominated Nalbandian, losing last year's final on a gimpy ankle.
After an early loss at the final event of the year, the Master Series-Paris, Blake back-doored his way into the championship when competitors
Mario Ancic and
Tommy Haas failed to go the distance.
Day One in Shanghai features Federer vs. Nalbandian in a replay of last year's final, and Ljubicic vs. Roddick in a serve-a-thon. Roddick has lost his last two against Ljubicic, and hasn't beaten a Top 10 player in 2006.
