Shanghai Daily news

As the tennis season headed into the home straight through the busy autumn schedule, the clamor over who would make it to Shanghai grew. Such is the stature of the city's fourth Tennis Masters Cup that the players are very keen to be a part of this season concluding event.

Aside from the US$4.5 million prize money at stake participation is a very public confirmation of the players' top eight status. The winner of the men's final will pocket a cool US$1.35 million. The press have been calling it the "Race to Shanghai" with the prospective contenders referred to as the "G8." That race has latterly involved tournaments in Vienna, Stockholm, Moscow, Madrid, Basel, St Petersburg, Lyon and finally Paris.

Brad Drewett, CEO of ATP International and tournament director of the Tennis Masters competition says: "It has been an exciting three months with all of the tennis world watching to see who would make it to Shanghai. Even as late as Paris there were still five or six guys in contention for a place."

In the French capital's BNP Paribas competition the last place was finally claimed by the Frenchman Richard Gasquet on November 2. On learning he'd made it the 21-year-old said: "Qualifying for the Masters is incredible for me. It's exceptional for me to go over there. Two, three years ago I was watching it on TV and I was thinking, 'That's the other side of the world. The Masters is so difficult.' Now I'm going."

Gasquet joins Roger Federer (Switzerland), Rafael Nadal (Spain), Novak Djokovic (Serbia), Nikolay Davydenko (Russia), Andy Roddick (USA), David Ferrer (Spain) and Fernando Gonzalez (Chile).

In first position, the number one seed and one of the finest players the game has ever seen is reigning champion Federer. The Swiss' genius last year snuffed out a gallant effort from the American James Blake in the final. He has won three of the four Shanghai Masters. Despite his steamrollering of records the 26-year-old has rarely been as beatable as he is now. This year he has lost to two of the G8, Nadal (twice) and Djokovic.

Drewett is excited about this year's lineup: "We have a great mix with four big established players (Federer, Nadal, Davydenko and Roddick) and four young lions, fresh for the fight."

Drewett says of the fourth Tennis Masters in Shanghai. "Now with the tennis and the Formula One, Shanghai has two flagship sporting events that the people of the city can look forward to and that attract attention from around the world."

Second seed the Mallorcan muscleman "Rafa" will be hoping to make up for his recent defeat in the Paris final. Last year he played in arguably the Master's best match narrowly losing to his nemesis Federer in the semifinal. He approaches this Masters on an even footing with the Swiss with two high profile wins and two similarly high profile losses this year. Dyokovic and Ferrer have also beaten the 21-year-old this season. Rafa will be looking to reassert his number two position and would dearly love to take this season-ending title.

As Drewett says: "These are the best eight players in the world and they can all beat each other. Every year I'm asked for my prediction and every year I refuse, anybody could win."

Third to qualify was the young Serbian Djokovic who has had a dream season. The 20-year-old Belgrade native is ranked three having reached the semis of the Roland Garros and Wimbledon and the final of the US Open. He even beat Federer in Montreal. In 2006 he barely registered, it's been a meteoric rise and he must fancy his chances.

Davydenko, the 26-year-old Russian, was delighted to qualify for the Shanghai Masters after what has been a disappointing season for the Volgograd resident. His one major win this year was in Moscow.

"I'm really happy to qualify for the Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai for the third consecutive year," said Davydenko. "It's important for me to know that I'm one of the eight best tennis players in the world for the third year. This is very important for me and my career. I want to finish in the top five. I think that if I get lucky and play well, I can win this year." Last year Davydenko arrived in Shanghai full of confidence after wining the final in Paris but in Shanghai he didn't make it beyond the round robin. He'll be hoping to make more of an impact this time round.

The 25-year-old Nebraska native Roddick, the fifth qualifier, is set to see his sixth consecutive season out placed in the top 10. This year's highs have been a semi-final place at the Australian Open, and tournament wins at both Queens and Washington. At last year's Masters the American, now coached by living legend Jimmy Connors, bowed out in the round robin stage. Immediately after this tournament he will captain his national team when America meets Russia in the Davis Cup.

Making his Shanghai Masters debut the 25-year-old Ferrer has had a great season with tournament wins in Auckland, Bastad and Tokyo and a semi-final placing at the US Open.

He said: "This is like a dream come true. It's been my best season ever and it is going to be great to compete in Shanghai as one of the top eight players. I have heard it is such a special event." He was only knocked out of Paris after a spirited fight against the eventual winner so there can be no doubting his current form and appetite. Notable scalps this season include Nadal, Roddick and Nalbandian.

Gonzalez returns to Shanghai after a brief sojourn in 2005 when he exited the Masters in the round robin stage having filled in for Andre Agassi who retired. The 27-year-old said: "I am very happy to be returning to Shanghai. I had a great time two years ago and it was one of my goals this year to be among the top eight players at the Tennis Masters Cup." He defeated Spaniard Tommy Robredo to take the Beijing International Series in September. He reached the final in both Rome, losing to Nadal, and the Australian Open, losing to Federer after a tough fight. He has nothing to loose and everything to gain with a game that can trouble the very best.

Gasquet has won titles on all surfaces and notably this year at Mumbai. At Paris he was only stopped by the eventual winner having seen off last year's Shanghai finalist Blake and the young Scotsman Andy Murray. A quarterfinal win against Roddick at Wimbledon took Gasquet into a memorable encounter with Federer; he lost but not before taking a set. This may be his 26th tournament this year but there can be no doubting Gasquet's appetite for a win nor his ability to produce one.

This year's Masters will be Shanghai's penultimate. As of 2009 the event will shift to London and the tennis event in Shanghai will become one of eight ATP 1,000 events. It is scheduled for either September or October of that year.

Prize money breakdown:

Undefeated winner gets US$1.3 million

Round robin win: US$100,000

Semi-final win: US$300,000

Final win: US$600,000