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  Roddick ready for London Match print this article   email this article   post your comments  tweet this 
  Wednesday 21 Oct, 2009

Andy Roddick may be no great fan of the long tennis season, but he is smiling after securing a place in the ATP Word Tour Finals in London next month.

The American ace has been one of the most vocal players complaining about the length of the season.

And only last week he was forced out early at the Shanghai Masters due to a knee injury.

But he won’t be complaining after earning enough points to play one more tournament, the season-ending circus that sees only the top eight players in the world battle it out for the ATP Masters trophy.

And it seems the world No.6 has already forgotten his rant in China and cannot wait to pit his wits once more with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“I’ve always had great support in London and I’m looking forward to being back there in November,” Roddick said. “I’m sure it will be a fantastic event.”

The tournament will take place in London’s world-famous O2 arena, better known as the Millennium Dome. And while that venue is more brash modernity than Wimbledon’s genteel traditionalism Roddick says he’s looking forward to returning to the British capital.

The world No.6 made the final at the All England Club this year, losing in a memorable five-set thriller to the formidable Federer.

And Roddick added: “The reaction I received from fans after the Wimbledon final was something I will never forget.”

Roddick has now earned a berth at the season finale for seven straight years - the second-longest active streak behind World No.1 Federer, who secured his eighth consecutive invitation earlier this season.

However, the 27-year-old hasn’t ever really challenge the elite band in the event, only reaching the semi-finals in 2003 and ’04, when the event was held in Houston, and in 2007 at Shanghai.

The favourite for the showdown will undoubtedly be Federer. The Swiss sensation has dominated in 2009, making all four Grand Slam finals, winning two of them and beating Pete Sampras’ record for the most number of Grand Slam titles.

The battle for the final two places is expected to go down to the Paris Masters next month, the ninth, and final, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament of the year. Fewer than 1,000 points separate Fernando Verdasco in the No.8 position from Tommy Robredo at No.15 in the rankings.

And one player keen to get in the mix is Robin Soderling. The super Swede has had his best year on tour, making the final of the French Open back in June.

And he said: “There’s a couple of big tournaments coming up (one is the Paris Masters to end the regular season). I have to keep on doing well the rest of the year.”



 
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