BREAK POINT!
Andy one win from seizing No 1 ranking from Djokovic
ANDY MURRAY is just one victory away from being crowned the best male tennis player in the world. novak djokovic’s defeat against Marin Cilic at the Paris Masters yesterday means the Scot will become world no 1 for the first time in his career if he defeats either Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Milos raonic, who were in action last night, in today’s semi-final. Murray faced Tomas Berdych after djokovic’s defeat and saved seven set-points in an extraordinary first-set tie-break, before eventually defeating the Czech 7-6, 7-5. ‘Maybe there were more nerves today knowing that the world no 1 spot was possible, but once I was out there on court it didn’t bother me,’ said Murray (below). ‘I have never been in the position of playing for the world no 1 spot before so I don’t know how I will deal with it tomorrow.’ The 29-year-old is enjoying the best season of his career and has triumphed in his last three tournaments, as he attempts to chase down djokovic at the top of the rankings. And his journey will be completed today if reaches the Paris final.
ANDy MURRAY’S 18th consecutive victory last night leaves him with a simple equation: one more today and he becomes, officially, the best tennis player on the planet.
The 29-year-old Scot is on the cusp of becoming the oldest man to make the top of the rankings for the first time since John Newcombe in 1974, after a dramatic session at the Paris Masters saw him through to the semi-finals.
By the time he walked on court to face Tomas Berdych, he knew that Novak Djokovic had perished and that he was two matches away from usurping his old rival.
Largely thanks to one of the most extraordinary tiebreaks of the season, he defeated the Czech 7-6, 7-5 and will take the last step over the threshold if he can defeat Milos raonic or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga late this afternoon.
Murray would become the 27th man to top the rankings since the computer first whirred into life in 1973, and is more qualified to be there than some of the previous incumbents.
In the era of Federer, Nadal and company, it would be just reward for a career haul that has included three Grand Slams, two Olympic golds and a Davis Cup title. With a 44-3 match record since the French Open it is hard to argue against it, and there would be no dispute from Djokovic.
‘If he gets it, which he is in a very good position to do, he’s definitely a player who deserves that,’ said the Serb. ‘Undoubtedly much respect for what he has done. We have known each other since the very, very early days. We were 11 years old when we first played against each other. And to see how he has raised his level in the last 12 months is quite extraordinary.’
Even if Murray slips up this afternoon he would be close to getting over the line at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena.
He has closed a huge gap since the French Open, and the process has been quicker than anyone, including himself, could have imagined.
The stakes were high for both players last night as Berdych needed the win to snatch the last place for the eight-man London field, where he has become such a fixture.
He looked highly motivated in an excellent first set, rock solid in taking it to 6-6 with Murray stretched by his easy power. Berdych was also good value for his 6-1 tiebreak lead before he tightened up and the Scot gathered himself.
Murray raced back for 7-6, but then slipped in a couple of errors — including a bizarre double fault that went the wrong side of the court — to face two more match points.
Only when Berdych returned the compliment with a horrible double miss of his own did Murray finally clinch it, 11-9. That drew the sting from the Czech, who had lost his last five matches in this head-tohead, having once been something of a bogeyman for the British No 1.
In the second set Murray broke in the first game and was composed until a late wobble at 5-4, which he immediately corrected to win in an hour and 59 minutes.
When he walks on to court this afternoon he will be 235 points behind Djokovic and will overtake his rival’s overall tally of 10,780 by five points if he wins. They are in a league of their own, with Murray already having more than double the total of world No 3 Stan Wawrinka. JO Konta’s consolidation of an already excellent year has continued until the last gasp of the season. Already guaranteed to finish it at No 10 in the world, Konta moved into the last four of the WTA Elite Trophy — for Nos 9-16 — with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over France’s Caroline Garcia.