Murray Plays For No. 1 Today In Paris

SEMI-FINAL PREVIEW: There is a lot at stake in the semi-finals on Saturday at the BNP Paribas Masters as all four players are trying to win their first title in Bercy. The foursome of Andy Murray, Milos Raonic, Marin Cilic and John Isner also have an opportunity to improve their Emirates ATP Ranking. 

While the eight-player singles field for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals is set, three of the semi-finalists coming to London are looking to leave Paris with their career-best Emirates ATP Ranking.

Murray brings an 8-3 career record against Raonic (winning last seven meetings) and if extends his winning streak to 19 consecutive matches, he’ll become No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time in his career.The 29-year-old Briton has spent 76 weeks at the No. 2 spot and he is looking to become the second-oldest player (John Newcombe, 30, on June 3, 1974) to debut at No. 1. Should Murray reach No. 1, he’ll own the ATP World Tour record for most time between becoming No. 2 and No. 1, having debuted at No. 2 on 17 August, 2009. Murray comes into play on Saturday trailing No. 1 Novak Djokovic by 235 points and if the Scot advances to the final, he will pick up 240 points and move five points ahead of the Belgrade native (see below). Murray would become the first British man and 26th player in the history of the Emirates ATP Rankings (since Aug. 23, 1973) to hold No. 1. It would also end Djokovic’s streak of 122 consecutive weeks (223 overall) at No. 1 (since July 7, 2014).

If Raonic defeats Murray for the first time since 2014 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells, (4R), he will move from No. 4 to a career-high No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, moving ahead of Stan Wawrinka. Raonic reached the final in Bercy two years ago (l. to Djokovic). The 25-year-old Canadian is trying to reach his fourth career ATP World Tour final, second this season (Indian Wells) and capture his first Masters 1000 crown.

In the other semi-final, Cilic tries to remain unbeaten (6-0) against Isner, who is trying to finish as the top American for the fifth straight year and in the Top 20 for a seventh consecutive season. To do that, the 31-year-old American must reach his third career ATP Masters 1000 final.(2012 Indian Wells, 2013 Cincinnati). Isner is also nine aces away from finishing as the ATP World Tour aces leader this year. Ivo Karlovic leads with 1,131 aces followed by Isner (1,123), who has hit a tournament-high 70 this week. Cilic, who beat Djokovic on Friday for the first time in 15 meetings, has improved to a career-high No. 7 with his first semi-final in Paris. If Cilic reaches the final, he will move up to No. 6.