Six-time champion Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from this year's Italian Open, organisers said on Tuesday.
Only once in 16 previous appearances has Federer not survived the group stage, back in 2008. IMAGES from the ATP Finals played at The O2 Arena in London on Sunday
The Croatian helped Djokovic claim nine of his 24 Grand Slam titles before leaving his team in March and on Friday was hired to coach world number five Rybakina for the 2025 season.
The Indians will now lock horns with top seeds Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Brazilian Marcelo Melo in the summit clash of the of the ATP 250 event.
World number two Murray, who smashed a frame in anger in the final game, said the proximity of next week's Davis Cup final on a claycourt in Ghent had not been a factor in his defeat.
Russian sixth seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova claimed her third title of the year by beating seventh-seeded Australian Daria Gavrilova in the final of the Hong Kong Tennis Open on Sunday.
Zverev and Rublev among dark horses for French Open
World No 1 Novak Djokovic was beaten by Tomas Machac in the Geneva Open semi-finals.
Fernando Verdasco made a good start in his latest bid to secure a spot at the World Tour finals with a 6-4, 6-1 first-round victory over American qualifier Michael Russell at the Valencia Open on Monday.
Jannik and Carlos are the favourites at Flushing Meadows, but don't write these men off!
Sweden's Robin Soderling will replace Andy Roddick in the ATP World Tour finals after the American pulled out with a knee injury on Tuesday.
Andrey Rublev reached the final of the Qatar Open on Friday with a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(5) win over Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime, and will meet Jack Draper in the decider after the Briton beat Czech Jiri Lehecka.
Carlos Alcaraz heads to the US Open in his now-familiar role as chief challenger to defending champion Jannik Sinner and the Spaniard will be driven this year by the twin pursuit of Grand Slam glory and the World No. 1 ranking.
London's stunning 02 Arena will stage the ATP World Tour Finals for the seventh year in succession in 2015 but that will already be four too many, defending champion Novak Djokovic said on Monday.
Wimbledon organisers have 'zero appetite' to turn the Championships into a 15-day event
The former world number one, who is easing his way back to full match fitness after a career-saving resurfacing procedure in January, saved all four break points he faced and dropped only six points on his first serve.
Novak Djokovic is one win away from a 100th career singles title after breezing past Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3 on Friday to reach the Miami Open final, where he will face either third seed Taylor Fritz or rising Czech Jakub Mensik.
India has never beaten Sweden in five attempts in the Davis Cup.
Italy's Sinner and Spain's Alcaraz have won two Grand Slams each this year, with Alcaraz beating Sinner in closely fought clashes at the French Open semi-finals and the China Open final.
World number one Rafael Nadal said on Wednesday he would skip the Asian leg of the ATP tour to recover from the knee injury he picked up at the US Open, a decision that will boost Novak Djokovic's chances of ending the year top of the rankings.
Russian Andrey Rublev has become the fifth singles player to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin next month, the men's tour said.
Novak Djokovic ruthlessly took Matteo Berrettini apart at the ATP Finals on Sunday as he began his quest to reclaim the number one ranking by winning his opening group match 6-2, 6-1.
Rafael Nadal's mauling of Novak Djokovic in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday was memorable in more ways than one.
The victory saw him move up by three places to stand only behind Spain's Rafael Nadal and Swiss star Roger Federer.
Alex De Minaur rallied from a set down and saved three match points to claim the Washington Open title after beating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the final of the ATP 500 event.
Jack Sock ended local favourite Julien Benneteau's run at the Paris Masters with a 7-5, 6-2 victory to reach the final and move to the brink of an ATP Finals spot on Saturday.
Novak Djokovic's bid for a 100th ATP Tour title gained momentum on Thursday
Leander Paes's dream of winning ATP year-end finals remained unfulfilled as the veteran Indian crashed out of the prestigious event along with Czech partner Radek Stepanek after losing a must-win Group B match in London.
Novak Djokovic handed Kei Nishikori a brutal lesson in hardcourt tennis as the Serb began his bid for a record fourth successive title at the ATP World Tour Finals with a 6-1, 6-1 win on Sunday.
Retired tennis great Andy Murray has agreed to join Novak Djokovic's team and will coach him at the Australian Open next year, the Serbian 24-times Grand Slam champion said on Saturday.
Roger Federer will make his return to the tennis circuit from a double knee surgery at an ATP 250 tournament in Qatar in March, having not played since last year's Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic dug out a 6-7(4) 6-1 6-4 win over Czech Jakub Mensik on Friday to advance to the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters, where he will face Taylor Fritz.
Both scored contrasting semi-final victories on Saturday.
World number one Novak Djokovic had enough on his plate already on Wednesday without marauding Russian Daniil Medvedev pummelling him to a shock 6-3, 6-3 defeat at the ATP Finals.
American qualifier Steve Johnson is through to his first ATP Tour semi-final after an emphatic victory at the Delray Beach Open on Friday.
Crowd favourite John Isner advanced to his second career ATP Tour final on Friday with an 6-2, 7-6 victory over Spanish eighth seed Albert Montanes.
Grigor Dimitrov claimed the biggest title of his career and sent out a huge statement of intent as the stylish Bulgarian beat David Goffin 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to win the ATP Finals.
Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez became the first Spanish pair to win the doubles title at the ATP Tour Finals for 37 years on Monday with a narrow victory over Indian duo Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna.
Factbox on Austria's Dominic Thiem, who beat German Alexander Zverev 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(6) to win the US Open title on Sunday.
One thing is beyond doubt after eight fabulous days of action at the ATP World Tour Finals -- tennis has found a spectacular new venue at London's space-age O2 Arena.
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