Andy Murray deposed Novak Djokovic as world number one yesterday but the British star insists he won’t let the pressure of the historic occasion knock him off course.
The 29-year-old Wimbledon and Olympic champion will take over the top spot in the latest rankings, to be released tomorrow, after Canada’s Milos Raonic pulled out injured from their Paris Masters semi-final clash.
His path opened up on Friday after he saved seven set points in an extraordinary opening tie-break before clinching a 7-6 (11/9), 7-5 win over Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals.
Earlier, 12-time major winner Djokovic had lost 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) to Croatia’s Marin Cilic, a defeat which ended the Serb’s 122-week reign on top of the ATP world rankings.
“Before the match there were a few more nerves maybe than there was earlier in the week. But once I got out there, I didn’t feel any different to any other match,” said Murray after his win over Berdych. “If it happens this week, great. But if not, I’m not putting any extra pressure on myself this week because I still think I have an opportunity to do it in the future.”
Cilic had lost all 14 previous meetings with Djokovic but snapped that miserable run with his victory.
Djokovic, the record four-time Paris champion, arrived in the French capital needing to reach the final to ensure he remained ahead of a rapidly approaching Murray. But the Serb’s challenge fizzled out against an in-form Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion.
“Credit to Marin and congratulations. He definitely played better today, and he deserved to win,” said 29-year-old Djokovic. “I wasn’t on the level that I could have been on. Obviously, there are things I could have done better. And just in important moments I wasn’t able to deliver.”
Despite his disappointment, Djokovic will have another chance to convince he is far from in decline at the World Tour Finals in London next week.
“The drop of form is normal in sports. I’m not too concerned about how the future will go for me,” said the Serb, who has appeared a shadow of his former self since wrapping up a maiden French Open title in June which allowed him to clinch a career Grand Slam.
“You can’t always expect to win. In terms of what the future brings to me, that’s not in my hands. I’m going to obviously keep playing at this level as long as I feel like that’s the right thing for me.”
The Scot’s climb to the ATP rankings’ summit caps a remarkable year which has seen him win a second Wimbledon crown and mount a successful defence of his Olympic title in Rio.
Raonic said he had suffered a muscle tear in his right leg in his previous match, sending Murray through to face John Isner in today’s final.
“This morning I had trouble waking up and getting out of bed. So I went to sort of clear any serious diagnosis,” said Raonic, who hurt himself in Friday’s quarter-final win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
“Did some tests. Did an MRI half an hour ago, let’s say. They found that I have a tear, Grade 1 tear in the right quad. Unfortunately, I’m not able to compete against Andy today in the second semi-final.”
Murray had needed to reach the final to supplant Djokovic at the top following the Serb’s defeat to Marin Cilic in the last eight.
But he didn’t need to hit a single ball as Raonic announced his withdrawal in a hastily-arranged press conference.
Murray will meet Isner as he targets a maiden Paris Masters title after the big-serving American toppled Cilic 6-4, 6-3 in the first semi-final. Isner, who also reached the last four in 2011, broke the ninth seed at 4-all before serving out for the first set.
Cilic sealed his place at the Tour Finals in London this week and then snapped a 14-match losing run against Djokovic, but the Croat couldn’t maintain that level against Isner.
The American seized control again at 3-3 in the second set and inflicted his first defeat on Cilic in seven attempts with another break of serve. Isner will bid for his first Masters 1000 title after reaching the final at Indian Wells in 2012 and Cincinnati in 2013.
Andy Murray
