Defending champion Djokovic, who retained his Paris Masters title
on Sunday after beating Milos Raonic, will also face Australian Open
champion Stanislas Wawrinka and hard-hitting Czech Tomas Berdych in
Group A of the elite event staged at London's O2 Arena.
Djokovic takes a 27-match indoor winning streak into the tournament
and Cilic, who is making his debut at the eight-man event, has not
beaten the Serb in 10 previous encounters.
"It is going to be very difficult but very exciting," Cilic told the
BBC. "I hope it is going to be an absolutely amazing experience, to
play there for the first time. I have watched it on TV for so many
years.
"Any of the matches could be a grand slam final so it is satisfying
to play in it."
Second seed Roger Federer, who has won the year-ending tournament
six times and who still has hopes of replacing Djokovic on top of
the rankings before the end of the year, faces a clash in Group B
with home favorite Andy Murray.
Murray, a three-times semi-finalist in London, and Federer have
contested some titanic battles during their careers and there is
very little to separate the two as they can both boast 11 wins
apiece.
Former Wimbledon champion Murray, who won three titles in the past
six weeks to secure a place at the tournament after slipping down
the rankings, missed last year's tournament because of back surgery.
[to top of second column] |
Debutants Raonic, the first Canadian singles player to qualify for
the showpiece event, and Japan's Kei Nishikori, the first Asian-born
man to qualify, complete the group.
World number three Rafael Nadal of Spain is missing because of
surgery for appendicitis.
The lucrative tournament gets underway on Nov. 9.
Draw:
Group A: Novak Djokovic (Serbia), Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland),
Tomas Berdych (Czech Rep), Marin Cilic (Croatia)
Group B: Roger Federer (Switzerland), Kei Nishikori (Japan), Andy
Murray (Britain), Milos Raonic (Canada)
(Reporting By Michael Hann; editing by Martyn Herman and Pritha
Sarkar)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|