Andy Murray aims to usurp Novak Djokovic at the Paris Masters
Scot can overtake Djokovic if he wins the title and the Serb doesn't reach the final
Wednesday 2 November 2016 07:42, UK
Novak Djokovic heads into the Paris Masters with his No 1 ranking under serious threat from Andy Murray, and in the rare position of being second favourite.
On current form Murray has the edge after collecting a third straight tournament win after victory at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, his career-high seventh title of the year.
The second-ranked Scot has spent 76 weeks as world No 2 but can overtake Djokovic if he wins the title and the Serb doesn't reach the final.
But Djokovic has form in the French capital and will be looking to win the tournament for the fourth straight year and fifth time overall, despite his recent erratic form.
"You've got to give [Murray] credit for what he's done in the last three or four months, the second part of the year is quite incredible," Djokovic said. "He's playing maybe the best tennis he's ever played, very consistent, very strong. He definitely deserves to be in the position of being No 1 at the end of the year. But that doesn't just depend on him."
Djokovic, who crushed Murray 6-2 6-4 in the final last year, will keep top spot if he reaches the final, and Murray is not overly optimistic of knocking him off his perch.
"Obviously he could win the event and, if I lose in the first round, then I am a long way from being No 1," said Murray, who trails Djokovic 24-10 in career matches. "I've never won [the Paris Masters] before, so to just expect that you're going to win the tournament would be silly."
"In some other years, a year like this would easily [have] been enough to be No 1 in the world," Murray said. "But I am obviously getting closer."
Murray, who has a first-round bye, will start his tournament against Fernando Verdasco or Feliciano Lopez.
He could then face Lucas Pouille, then Roberto Bautista Agut or Tomas Berdych, before a mouth-watering semi-final date against Milos Raonic - who is still feeling the effects of ankle injury - or Basel runner-up Kei Nishikori.
Like Murray, Djokovic also has seven titles this year, matching his tally from 2013 and 2014, but will fall short of the 11 he won in an utterly dominant 2015.
"The last couple of months were not easy," Djokovic said. "Mentally I just had to redefine my goals, things that are happening on and off the court.
"But now I feel great and rejuvenated, very happy to be back in the city where I have wonderful memories. It gives me a lot of emotions and butterflies in my stomach when I think about the last time I was here."
Djokovic, who also won here in 2009, faces either Nicolas Almagro of Spain or Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in the second round.
He could then face Grigor Dimitrov, then ATP World Tour Final-chasing Marin Cilic, before a blockbuster of a semi-final clash against Stan Wawrinka in a repeat of their classic US Open final encounter earlier this year.
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