Federer set to provide the biggest test for Murray in group phase of London finale

The Scot was instead matched with Roger Federer, Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic in Group B, with the latter two competitors playing in the season-ending tournament for the first time.

Djokovic, who has beaten Murray on the four occasions they have played each other this year, faces Stan Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych and Marin Cilic in Group A.

Murray was forced to miss last year’s competition as he continued his recovery from back surgery, but he had qualified in the previous five years.

Yet he only guaranteed his spot for this year’s event with a superb final few weeks which saw him win titles in Shenzhen, Vienna and Valencia before a run to the Paris Masters quarter-finals, where he was beaten by Djokovic in straight sets, ending an 11-match unbeaten run.

Murray could have been forgiven for wanting to be kept apart from his old rival given the Serbian’s stronghold over him this season although he has lost twice to Federer this year, at the Australian Open in January and the Cincinnati Masters in August. Their head-to-head record currently stands at 11 wins apiece.

Murray, ranked sixth in the world, must finish in the top two of his group in order to progress to the semi-finals, with the knockout stage on November 15 and 16.