Saturday 5 November 2016 14:43, UK
Andy Murray takes on Milos Raonic in the Paris Masters semi-final on Sky Sports 3 on Saturday knowing victory will take him to the top of the world rankings.
The Scot heads into the last four in the form of his career and on the back of a 18-game winning streak that has seen him claim titles in Beijing, Shanghai and Vienna - and he will look to claim a fourth in succession should he make the final in Paris.
But it will be a semi-final unlike any other for the 29-year-old as victory will also confirm him as the world No 1, ending Novak Djokovic's 122-week reign and becoming both the first Briton to hold the position and the oldest man to claim the ranking for the first time.
Standing in his way will be a familiar face in the shape of big-serving Canadian Raonic. The pair have met five times this season, Murray winning them all including a memorable 6-4 7-6 7-6 victory in the Wimbledon final.
The Scot also beat the 25-year-old in the final at Queen's, the quarter-final in Monte Carlo, the semi-finals at the Australian Open and most recently in the last four in Cincinnati and his run of wins stretches to seven matches since Raonic's last win at Indian Wells in 2014.
Murray's quarter-final win over Tomas Berdych was also a career best 72nd win of the season, improving on the 71 that he managed in 2015.
Murray has already claimed Wimbledon and Olympic titles among another career-best of seven tournament victories in 2016, while Paris represents his 13th semi-final of a phenomenal year.
In the other semi-final, Marin Cilic will take on John Isner looking to build on a first ever victory over Novak Djokovic, which has hnanded Murray his chance.
Cilic beat Murray to claim a first Masters title earlier this year and has returned to the form that landed him the 2014 US Open over the last couple of months, culminating in his semi-final run in Paris which has sealed a place at the season-end World Tour Finals.
Isner too has enjoyed a strong run of form to reach his seventh Masters semi-final and a win will see him into his first 1000 Series final since Cincinnati in 2013
However, it is Cilic who holds the upper hand, winning all six meetings between the pair.
You can follow all the action on Sky Sports 3 from 1pm on Saturday, or with our live blog right here at www.skysports.com/tennis
