Creamy layer for Masters Cup tournament

With $3.7 million to be shared between just eight players, the Masters Cup at Houston from November 10 is the most lucrative event for a tennis exponent. An undefeated player in this competition takes home an impressive $1.52 million, which is prize money in excess of winning a Grand Slam title. It is challenging to be merely in contention for such wealth. Performances in the four Grand Slams, the nine Masters Series tournaments and best five other showings in ATP tournaments determines this.Five places have already been decided, with Guillermo Coria joining Andy Roddick, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Roger Federer and Andre Agassi. With the two remaining Masters Series tourneys slated for next week at Madrid and from October 27 in Paris the other three qualifiers will be known before long. In short, there is a mouth-watering prospect of the first three mentioned featuring in a pistols-at-dawn type of examination. This year, the men''s doubles Masters will also occur at Houston alongside the singles slug-fest. Not surprisingly, Mahesh Bhupathi & Max Mirnyi are among five pairs who have clinched participation. The others being the Bryan brothers, Mark Knowles & Daniel Nester, Jonas Bjorkman & Todd Woodbridge and Michael Llodra & Fabrice Santoro.Leander Paes & David Rikl would almost certainly have figured in the list. But, after missing out on appearances since mid-August, they have dropped to 7th in the rankings. Next Monday: Marketing of tennis