Federer favourite for final crown

With injury worries for both Djokovic and Nadal,World No. 4 the man to beat at year-ender.

Roger Federer will aim to finish an off key year on a high note by winning a record sixth title at the ATP World Tour finals which start Sunday at Londons O2 Arena,a venue more famous for staging the biggest acts in the music business. The world number four,who opens round robin action against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga,is level in the season-ending events roll of honour with Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras.

Despite being the oldest player in the eight-man draw,and arriving with his lowest ranking since 2003,few would bet against the Swiss 16-times grand slam champion supplying a show-stopping end to a year dominated by Serbias Novak Djokovic.

While Federer just turned 30 and has fallen behind Djokovic,Nadal and Murray in the rankings after a rare year without a major,he is still the biggest draw in the sport. Successive titles in Basel and Paris in the run-in to London,surprisingly the first time he has won back-to-back tournaments since 2006,proved Federers remarkably injury-free body are in good shape as he prepares for his 10th consecutive season-ender.

With serious questions over the state of Djokovics serving shoulder and Nadal,who is also in Federers group along with American debutant Mardy Fish,not enjoying his best year away from his beloved European claycourts,the Swiss is arguably the favourite to claim the title again.

Djokovic,who is grouped with Murray,Czech Tomas Berdych and Spains David Ferrer,looks to have hit the wall after lifting three of the years four grand slam titles and seizing the number one ranking. The Serbian pulled out of the Paris Masters last week before his quarter-final with Tsonga citing pain from the shoulder injury that has dogged him since he won the US Open.

Despite not being 100 percent fit,however,the 24-year-old will be keen to avoid a disappointing end to a superb season in which he has amassed a 69-4 record. I dont feel obliged to win the tournament in order to make this season perfect but I will do my best to finish off the season in style, Djokovic said.

Home fans will be hoping world number three Murray can land the biggest title of his career. Murray,who reached at least the semi-finals of all four grand slams this year,appears the most likely player to prevent Federer setting yet another record.

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The Scot,who begins his Group A matches against Ferrer on Monday,went on a red hot 17-match winning streak after the US Open a run snapped by Berdych in Paris last week.

Outside the big four,Tsonga could be the surprise package,having stayed clear of the injuries to qualify for the season-ender for only the second time . Im not going to be turning up just thinking its great to be here and Im just glad to participate, the Frenchman said after the draw gave him an immediate chance to avenge his Paris Masters defeat by Federer.

Those sentiments were also echoed by Fish whose rise into the top eight as Andy Roddicks career goes into decline ensured a 25th consecutive year that an American will take part in the year-ending tournament.