Tennis: Raonic’s muscle tear leaves Murray on top of the world
PARIS— After such a long wait, reaching the summit of men’s tennis was a bit of an anticlimax for Andy Murray.
Without playing a single point, the Scot ended a seven-year wait to secure the No. 1 spot after advancing to the Paris Masters final, when big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic withdrew from their scheduled match. Murray found out about Raonic’s leg injury just an hour before they were set to square off in the semifinals on Saturday.
“The way that it happened today was quite strange,” Murray said. “I had always imagined, obviously, doing it on the court. Like last night, before I went to bed, I was imagining doing it, kind of thinking about it happening on the court after a match.”
Raonic, from Thornhill, had to pull out because of a tear in his right thigh muscle.
Raonic said he would need five to 10 days to recover, putting his participation at the ATP Finals in jeopardy. The elite eight-man tournament starts in eight days in London.
“I’m on the borderline for that,” the fifth-ranked Raonic said.
“I still have a possibility that I might be able to play.”
Despite the walkover, Murray gave the Paris fans something to cheer about. He took to the court for a practice session and hit a few shots with the ball boys and girls.
“I’m sure on Monday I’ll feel good, but I’m not sure this is right in the rules. If I get defaulted in the match tomorrow, I don’t think I get the points from this week,” Murray joked. “So I need to make sure I’m on my best behaviour, keep my racquet in my hands, and all will be well.”
Following top-ranked Novak Djokovic’s loss in the quarter-finals, Murray only needed to make the final to take top spot from the Serb.
“Obviously it’s unfortunate the way that it happened today,” Murray said, “but it’s been many years of work to get here.”
When the updated ATP rankings are published Monday, Murray is guaranteed to hold at least a fivepoint lead over Djokovic, more than seven years after he reached No. 2 for the first time. Their fight for supremacy will resume in London starting Nov. 13.
Murray will face John Isner in the Paris Masters final, after the American hit 18 aces to defeat Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3. Win or lose, Murray will become the first Briton to hold the top spot, and the oldest first-time No. 1 since John Newcombe at age 30 in 1974.
In an era dominated by the likes of Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, reaching the summit has been a long process for Murray, who has held the No. 2 spot for a total of 76 weeks.
“It’s been such a difficult thing to do during my career because of how good the guys around me have been, the guys ahead of me,” Murray said.
One person was especially quick to congratulate Murray — mom Judy.
“You’ve come a long way baby,” Judy Murray tweeted , with an old photo of the two on a tennis court, followed by the number 1 and a heart.