After reaching the final of the Paris Masters, Andy Murray proudly sits top of the world rankings for the first time this week and his attention will now be turning to ending 2016 top of the pile.
Victory in Sunday’s final was icing on the cake for Murray. The Scot has won six ATP Tour titles this year, as well as Wimbledon and the Olympics, and will head to next week’s ATP World Tour Finals in London knowing another triumph would ensure he finishes the season ahead of Novak Djokovic
Given Murray’s form – he’s won four straight tournaments during a 19-match winning streak and has only lost three times since the French Open – the 11/8 with Stan James is sure to be popular with home advantage a plus but there are worries. Murray has rarely delivered his best tennis at the O2 Arena, where he is yet to get past the semi-final stage. However, the Scot’s stock has never been higher and opponents are now being intimidated by his presence on the other side of the net.
Djokovic could regain top spot in the rankings in London if things went his way but he’s clearly got problems at present. The Serbian’s superlative form has nose-dived since he won the French Open for the first time in June. But he’s bidding for a fifth straight win in the ATP World Tour Finals so is only a best 17/11 with 888sport and the draw could hardly have been kinder to the 29-year-old. He has been drawn alongside Milos Raonic and tournament debutants Gael Monfils and Dominic Thiem.
The Serb, who will open the tournament against Thiem on Sunday afternoon, holds a combined 23-0 win-loss record over the trio in his group. Murray has been placed in the same group as the third, fifth and seventh seeds Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic so may find life tougher.
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Beyond the top two, it’s very much a case of ‘you pay your money, you take your choice’. Wawrinka, who beat Djokovic in the US Open Final, beat Murray en route to the semi-finals last year, is a best 11/1 and third-best. Kei Nishikori has also beaten Murray in London in the past and is available at 22/1. Cilic is ending the year in excellent form but doesn’t have a great head-to-head record against Murray.
ATP World Tour Finals Singles Current Best Odds
Andy Murray (11/8), Novak Djokovic (17/11), Stan Wawrinka (11/1), Kei Nishikori (22/1), Milos Raonic (25/1), Marin Cilic (28/1), Gael Monfils (33/1), Dominic Thiem (50/1)
