World number four Andy Murray will face US Open champion Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Gilles Simon in the group stages in his maiden appearance at the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai.

The British number one has been drawn in the red group with defending champion and world number two Federer, American world number six Roddick and Frenchman Simon, who Murray beat in the final of the Madrid Masters.

In the absence of world number one Rafael Nadal, who pulled out earlier this week due to injury and fatigue, world number three 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."