ATP World Tour Finals: Murray is the man they all want to beat
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The ATP World Tour Finals get underway in London this weekend, and for Andy Murray, it’s the first tournament he’ll enter as world number one.
Fittingly, the in-form Scot is favourite to win despite being handed a tougher draw than Novak Djokovic.
Murray finally usurped the Serbian at last week’s Paris Masters, becoming the first Brit to reign at the top since computerised rankings entered the sport.
The 29-year-old is 5/4 favourite to cap off a sublime season with yet another victory, with Djokovic second at 11/8 despite a lack of form and injury concerns.
The great Serb has been handed what looks on paper to be an easier draw. The reigning Australian and French Open champion holds a totalled 23-0 record against Dominic Thiem, Gael Monfiils and Milos Raonic.
Austrian Thiem arrives in London with a poor 11-9 record since Wimbledon, while Raonic can boast just 8-6 since the US Open. Monfils is in slightly better having won 11 of his last 16 matches.
Compare that with Murray’s draw, which sees the Scot take on reigning US Open champion Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic.
The Swiss is 18-7 since Wimbledon, with Cilic 21-6 since the Rio Olympics and Nishikori 23-8 since SW19.
Murray and Djokovic are each 1/2 to reach the final, and you can get 5/4 on those two appearing in the showpiece together.
But for the first time in his career, Murray enters a tournament as world number one. And with a stunning 61-4 record starting at the Madrid Open, also arrives in London as the undisputed form man.
He’s the man everybody wants to – but increasingly can’t – beat and that may be the biggest compliment of all to Murray’s rise to the top.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
