Smith thinks Scot can keep top spot

Great Britain Davis Cup captain Leon Smith believes Andy Murray is well placed to stay at number one.

The 29-year-old took over as the planet’s top-ranked tennis player when Milos Raonic withdrew from their BNP Paribas Masters semi-final in Paris and followed it up by beating John Isner in the final yesterday.

It’s been a long time since people have been battling it out for that year-end spot. LEON SMITH

Murray will now head into the World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena next week 405 points ahead of Novak Djokovic, who had spent 122 consecutive weeks as number one from July 2014 before his quarter-final defeat in Paris to Marin Cilic.

Smith told BBC Breakfast: “He’s got a lot to look forward to as we move into 2017.

“It will mean a lot to him. He’s worked that hard to get to that point now.

“The way the points system works, he’s got a good opportunity if you look at the first quarter of 2017 with two bi0g Masters Series events in Indian Wells and Miami where he didn’t perform at his best so he doesn’t have many points to defend so that’s an opportunity for him.

“Andy’s so professional and diligent with the process he goes into that he won’t start thinking too far ahead and worry too much about holding on to it,” he added.

“It’ll be about going back every single day and for him after a couple of days’ rest he’ll be starting up again for the Tour Finals next week.”

And Smith thinks after a couple of days’ rest Murray will be raring to go as he begins the process of defending his position.

“I think he’ll have to (have a rest) after this one just for a couple of days.

“It’s intriguing for everybody, the Tour Finals.

“It’s been a long time since people have been battling it out for that yearend spot.

“And that’ll be the case for Andy and Novak next week.”