New world number one Andy Murray is eager to end his successful season on a high at the upcoming ATP Finals in London.
The Brit overtook Novak Djokovic at the top of the world rankings after triumphantly battling for his fourth consecutive title this season at the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris. Murray hasn’t lost a match on the ATP Tour since the quarterfinals of the US Open in September and has reached the final in 11 out of his last 12 tournaments.
“No one would have expected what I have done the last few months,” Murray said in Paris on Sunday. “I don’t really know if it’s sunk in or not.”
Murray’s recent momentum on the tour has positioned him in a strong place ahead of the ATP Finals in London, which will start on Sunday. The $7 million event has brought mixed success for Murray in the past, who has reached the semifinals on three previous occasions. His last two appearances have ended in disappointment with an exit in the round robin stages.
“The last few years I haven’t played so well (at the ATP finals),” Murray said. “I do think playing in front of a home crowd helps. It makes a difference, so hopefully I’ll be able to perform a bit better this year.”
For the first time in his career, Murray will be the top seed at the end-of-year tournament in London, which features the eight best players in the world. It isn’t just the title at stake for the 29-year-old. He could also potentially lose his number one place if Djokovic wins the tournament with at least two round-robin wins.
It’s so confusing that this is the simplest way of putting it. Andy Murray is year-end world No 1 after London IF: pic.twitter.com/RGJfGp3EgX
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) 6 November 2016
Beyond London, Murray has already set his sights on new goals in 2017. One of those include winning the Australian Open for the first time. The Brit has come agonisingly close to the grand slam crown on numerous occasions, settling for runner-up five times since 2010.
“I’d love to win the Australian Open … It’s the next major goal, because I have been close a number of times,” Murray said. “I have never quite done it.”
The last British man to win the Australian Open was Fred Perry in 1934, 53 years before Murray was born.
This season Murray has already won three ATP titles, three Masters trophies, one grand slam crown and one Olympic gold medal. It is the first time in his career that the world number one has won eight titles on the ATP Tour within the same year.
