Michael Venus facing Grand Slam winners at World Tour Finals

Michael Venus. Photo / Photosport.

New Zealand's top ranked doubles player Michael Venus and his American partner Ryan Harrison have been pitted against two of this year's other Grand Slam champion teams in Group play at the ATP World Tour Finals in London next week.

The draw for the prestigious year end championship has been made overnight in London.

French Open champions Venus and Harrison have been drawn in the Eltingh/Haarhuis Group, named after the Dutch team who were a dominant force in doubles in the 1990's.

They will face second seeds Henri Kontinen and John Peers, the Australian Open champions in the opening match of the tournament. (1am Sunday morning NZ time) They've also been pitted against US Open champions, 3rd seeds Jean-Julien Roger of the Netherlands and his Romanian partner Horia Tecau as well as the 6th seeded French pairing of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut.

Venus is excited to be in London at an event where he is being treated like royalty.

"It's been an awesome week preparing and getting used to it all. The treatment here is unbelievable. Arriving at the hotel we were greeted by six staff members and taken straight to the room with no check in. Everything you want or need you just ask for and it's all being provided." Venus said.

The 30 year old Kiwi is relishing the chance to play the opening match at a tournament which is renowned for its capacity crowds for both the singles and doubles matches.

"It's a huge stadium and it's dark in the stands with the court lit up so it is a unique atmosphere and I am just really excited."

Playing end seeds Kontinen and Peers holds no fears for Venus who has had a couple of close matches against them this year.

"We lost to them in the quarter finals at Wimbledon after having a match point in the fourth set and then beat them in Cincinnati before the US Open. So each match has been really close with them and we are going to have to play well."Venus said.

The other Group Woodbridge/Woodforde includes top seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo who requires two round robin wins to clinch the year end number one doubles team ranking.

4th seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares, 5th seeds Bob and Mike Bryan and 7th seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcel Granollers complete the group.

The tournament features two singles and two doubles matches each day in round robin before the semi finals and finals over the following weekend.

Michael Venus is the second New Zealander to reach the ATP World Tour doubles Finals after Brett Steven with American Tommy Ho in 1995.

2017 has been a phenomenal year for Venus who has amassed more than $500,000 US in prize money with plenty more on offer at the ATP World Tour Finals.

Teams receive a $94,000USDparticipation fee plus $36,000 per round robin match win, $96,000 should they win a semi final and $188,000 for winning the title. Going through undefeated would see them share $486,000US dollars.

DRAW

Group Woodbridge/Woodforde
[1] Lukasz Kubot (POL) / Marcelo Melo (BRA)
[4] Jamie Murray (GBR) / Bruno Soares (BRA)
[5] Bob Bryan (USA) / Mike Bryan (USA)
[7] Ivan Dodig (CRO) / Marcel Granollers (ESP)

Group Eltingh/Haarhuis
[2] Henri Kontinen (FIN) / John Peers (AUS)
[3] Jean-Julien Rojer (NED) / Horia Tecau (ROU)
[6] Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) / Nicolas Mahut (FRA)
[8] Ryan Harrison (USA) / Michael Venus (NZL)