Top-ranked Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero is a confirmed starter for next January's adidas International tennis tournament in Sydney.

Ferrero, who pushed world No.1 Lleyton Hewitt to five sets in the final of the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai on Sunday night, is one of four players from that elite eight-man field to enter the Sydney event.

The men's side of the event, which runs from Jan 5-11, is one of the strongest on record, with Spanish compatriots Carlos Moya and French Open champion Albert Costa as well as Marat Safin, James Blake and Andy Roddick.

Hewitt is set to prepare for the Australian Open at the Hopman Cup in Perth.

The women's field is yet to be finalised. This year it attracted seven of the world's top 10 women, however only one player from the top three and two from the top eight have so far committed to next year's tournament.

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