The Battle For No. 1, With Just Days To Go
The Battle For No. 1, With Just Days To Go
Both players remain unbeaten in London
Who is going to finish the year No. 1? After four days of play at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, we’re not much closer to an answer.
Neither Andy Murray nor Novak Djokovic is giving each other an inch in the battle to finish No. 1 in the year-end Emirates ATP Rankings. Both have started the tournament with two round-robin victories, leaving Murray with an effective lead over the Serb of 130 points, the same edge with which he entered the tournament.
On paper Murray is 405 points ahead of Djokovic, but the Scot will see the 275 points he earned in the 2015 Davis Cup final fall from his points total on 28 November, the day the year-end rankings are calculated. So, that effectively leaves Murray with a 130-point lead at the half-way point of the season finale.
Djokovic does have one advantage over Murray: he has already clinched his place in the semi-finals. Murray has a strong claim to a semi-final spot after two strong victories over Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori. But Stan Wawrinka’s defeat of Cilic Wednesday night means that the Scot must wait until Friday’s final-day of group play to confirm his semi-final spot.
Should Murray join Djokovic in the semi-finals, here are the key scenarios…
- If Murray and Djokovic meet in SFs, the winner of that match will clinch No. 1
- If they don’t meet in SFs, the player advancing farthest in the tournament will clinch No. 1
- If they both lose in the semi-finals, Murray will clinch No. 1 unless Djokovic has a better round-robin record
But there are several other scenarios, including one that could see Murray finish No. 1 even if he misses the semi-finals, provided Djokovic doesn’t go 3-0 in round-robin play and the Serb doesn’t reach the final. If Murray misses the semi-finals, Djokovic can clinch by going 3-0 in group play or by going 2-1 and then winning his semi-final match.
Murray is looking to become the 17th man in history (since 1973) to finish as the year-end No. 1. Djokovic is looking to finish No. 1 for the third consecutive year, and for the fifth time overall.
Murray became World No. 1 for the first time in his career on 7 November. The last time a No. 2 dethroned the incumbent No. 1 at the season finale to claim the year-end No. 1 title was back in 2001, when Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt overtook Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten in Sydney.
For each group-stage match win at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, players earn 200 points. A semi-final win means an additional 400 points and a win in the final brings a further 500 points.