Masters Cup: Federer drawn in red group

Shanghai:

Defending champion Roger Federer was grouped together with Guillermo Coria, Ivan Ljubicic and David Nalbandian for preliminary play in the season-ending Masters Cup. No. 2-ranked Rafael Nadal was drawn into the other group, gold, and will play Andre Agassi, Nikolay Davydenko and Gaston Gaudio in the round-robin stage. The top two players from each group advance to the semifinals of the November 13-20 event. Places at the Cup are awarded to the leaders of the ATP's season race, although three of the top players have withdrawn. American Andy Roddick and Russia's Marat Safin pulled out with injuries. Australia's Lleyton Hewitt decided to remain in Sydney with his pregnant wife, Rebecca Cartwright, who is due to give birth to the couple's first child within two weeks. Hewitt won the eight-man tournament in 2001 in Sydney and in 2002 at Shanghai. Groups Red: Roger Federer, Guillermo Coria, Ivan Ljubicic, David Nalbandian. Gold: Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, Nikolay Davydenko, Gaston Gaudio. (AP)