Tennis: Kiwi to play at ATP World Tour Finals

Michael Venus. Photo / Doug Sherring.

Barring injury New Zealand's top ranked doubles player Michael Venus will play at the ATP World Tour Finals in London next month.

Tour officials at the Shanghai Masters have confirmed while the top seven ranked teams on the Emirates ATP rankings after this month's regular season finale in Paris qualify for the O2 Arena, one place is reserved for a Grand Slam champion not in the top seven.

Venus and partner Ryan Harrison are currently ranked seventh in the race, but even if they fail to win another match, are guaranteed their place in the prestigious field.

That's because they are the French Open champions and the other three grand slam winning teams this year have already qualified for the World Tour Finals, in the top three in the rankings.

The ATP tour saves a place for a team who are Grand Slam champions as long as they are ranked between 8 and 20 after Paris. There's no way Venus and Harrison can slip outside the world's top 20 teams with only a handful of tournaments remaining in the season.

Venus and Harrison open their campaign at the Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai buoyed by the news.

They are seeded eighth and received a bye into the second round where they will face Mexican Santiago Gonzalez and Chile's Jose Peralta later today.

Ironically Venus has partnered with both players at ATP tournaments this year.

"I've played doubles with and against those guys, at the end of the day if we can take care of the things we do well we will put ourselves in a position to finish it off."

Venus has been blown away by the tournament in Shanghai.

"It's been unbelievable here, they really take care of you, bringing out all the bells and whistles. The food in the restaurant has been incredible (a Michelin star chef is flown in from Italy each year) we have been having lunch and dinner here and really enjoying it." Venus said.

The Kiwi number one arrived in Shanghai last Thursday and says the courts where are playing very fast suit both he and Harrison.

Venus says the 10 day break he had back in New Zealand following the US Open rejuvenated him ahead of the final part of the season.

"The break I had back in New Zealand was much needed. We play 11 months of the year, travelling and you push yourself week in week out. Until you have that time off and are away from it and completely relax that when you come back you realise how much fresher you are."

After Shanghai Venus will team up with Dutchman Robin Haase for ATP tournaments in Stockholm and Vienna before playing with Harrison in the Paris Masters ahead of their debut in London.