Murray has been drawn in the red group with defending champion and world No2 Federer, American world No6 Roddick and Frenchman Simon, who Murray beat in the final of the Madrid Masters.

In the absence of world No1 Rafael Nadal, who pulled out earlier this week due to injury and fatigue, world No3 Novak Djokovic headlines the gold group which also contains Paris Masters champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro, who earlier this year won four tournaments in a row.

Murray lost to Federer in the US Open final, but beat the Swiss 13-time major winner on his way to the Madrid title, while the Scot also beat Australian Open champion Djokovic in the final of the Cincinnati Masters.

"It is my first time to Shanghai, but I have heard from all the other players it is a fantastic tournament and I am really looking forward to competing," said Murray. "To be amongst the top eight players in the world is a great feeling."

Bjorn Borg, meanwhile, has predicted that Murray will be challenging Nadal and Federer for the Grand Slam titles next season.

The Swede, who secured five Wimbledon and six French Open crowns between 1974 and 1981, has been keeping a close eye on the startling progress made by Murray this season and believes the 21-year-old from Dunblane will continue on his upwards trajectory next year.

"I said last year Andy Murray was going to be a great player, said Borg. "Everybody was a little bit sceptical when I said that. But look at what Andy has been producing this year.

"He is improving his physical condition and his mental aspect. He is one of the top players, he has been winning the Masters Series and he knows he can beat every single player in the world.

"I pick Federer, Nadal and Murray to win Grand Slam tournaments next year.

"I really enjoy watching Federer and Nadal and Murray – it's great rivalries and that's why I say next year is going to be very interesting for world tennis."

While Murray is flying the flag for Britain in such rarefied heights, the rest of the men's game in the country is far from healthy with the numbers two and three, Alex Bogdanovic and Josh Goodall, languishing at 184 and 222 respectively.

But Borg believes there is enough British talent to succeed – especially with Murray as a figurehead. He continued: "The (British] kids I saw here in Shanghai have a great possibility to be good players but it's really up to them. But you have a big advantage that Andy Murray has been doing enormous things for British tennis, like Tim Henman did during his time."

FACT BOX

Masters Cup groupings

Red Group

Roger Federer World No 2 (Switzerland)

Andy Murray World No 4 (Great Britain)

Andy Roddick World No 6 (United States)

Gilles Simon World No 9 (France)

Gold Group

Novak Djokovic World No 3 (Serbia)

Nikolay Davydenko World No 5 (Russia)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga World No 7 (France)

Juan Martin del Potro World No 8 (Argentina)

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