Friday 11 November 2016 18:43, UK
Eight of the best players on the planet will showcase their skills at the ATP World Tour Finals at London’s O2 from November 13-20.
From thumping forehands to blistering backhands and miraculous returns, fans can expect to see some thrilling tennis.
Here, we pick out the trademark shots to look out for from each of the title hopefuls…
Wawrinka has arguably the best backhand in the sport and unleashes it with not only ferocious power but also pinpoint accuracy.
It is different to his rivals' backhands, largely because he adopts an open stance side on and drills directly into the ball, which means it carries little top spin and arrives at his opponents far earlier and flatter than they are used to.
Raonic has one of the fastest and most unpredictable serves in tennis. Following an unusually high ball toss, he holds his racket face on, as opposed to the side-on style adopted by other players, which generates more power and makes it difficult for opponents to anticipate which direction the ball will travel in.
Raonic is the owner of the sixth-fastest serve in history, a 250kmh rocket at the 2012 Rogers Cup.
Murray is a master of all tennis trades, but if you had to pick out one single shot that is narrowly better than the others, it is tough to look past his serve return.
His ability to read a serve, his blink-of-an-eye reaction times and his speed across the baseline mean only the very best deliveries evade him.
He knows that as long as he gets the ball back over the net, he is good enough in other areas of the game to seize back the initiative in the rally and win the point.
Cilic adopts an off forehand technique to his forehand to generate more power and consequently hits harder and flatter than just about anyone else on tour.
His 2014 US Open win was built on this exceptional shot, which he sends the ball over the net at angles and speed few other players can conjure.
It is especially lethal on hard and fast courts, so the fast O2 surface should suit him perfectly.
Monfils is tennis' showman and while his trademark exhibition shots may not always win him points and matches, they never fail to entertain.
He is prepared to try shots that other players wouldn't even consider, be they hot dogs, pirouettes or flying smashes.
Djokovic is another all-rounder who excels in every discipline, but his greatest weapon is often his defensive play and, in particular, his remarkable stretch shot.
While most players take three or four steps to reach a deep ball, Djokovic needs just two huge strides and then uses his remarkable elasticity to stretch and return it with a forehand or backhand slice.
Although jumping forehands are common throughout tennis, Nishikori has to rely on it more than most thanks to the fact that, at 5ft 10in, he is almost always shorter than his opponent.
Lifting feet off the ground can compromise the form of a shot, but Nishikori unleashes it without sacrificing speed or accuracy.
Thiem's aggressive single-handed backhand was a sight to behold for the first six months of this season. It has changed little from his days playing tennis as a child and is one of the most natural strokes in the sport.
He tends to glide at the ball, but still generates enough power capable of unerring accuracy. Thiem's forehand is not as noteworthy in terms of style but is just as potent.
"I think the single handed backhand is a beautiful shot," the young Austrian said during a press conference. "I'm happy there are some young guys that play with it because it would be a shame if it dies."
Watch every day of the ATP World Tour Finals, from November 13-20, live on Sky Sports. Full schedule here.
