Murray finally steps out of Djokovic’s shadow

Published by Reuters

It's been a long time coming, but Andy Murray is the new world No.1. Photo: Getty Images
By becoming the new world No.1, Andy Murray has finally stepped out of the long shadow cast by Novak Djokovic.

New world No.1 Andy Murray was born a week before Novak Djokovic and won the pair’s first junior tussle on the tennis court.

Since then he has spent his professional career playing catch-up with the Serb who always found a way of staying one step ahead.

On Saturday, in the same City of Light where five months earlier he was powerless to prevent Djokovic completing a career grand slam by winning their French Open final, the Scot finally caught up with his elusive rival.

His semi-final walkover – after Canadian Milos Raonic pulled out of their Paris Masters semi-final with a leg injury – means Murray has risen to No.1 in the world for the first time in his career, ending Djokovic’s seemingly unshakeable 122-week grip.

Murray, 29, is the oldest first-time ATP No.1 since 30-year-old John Newcombe briefly scaled the summit in 1974 and is the 26th player to reach the top since rankings were introduced.

RELATED: Andy Murray crowned new world No.1

Djokovic, of course, got there first in 2011.

The Serb also boasted five grand slam titles when Murray claimed his first at the 2012 US Open.

And when the Scot led Britain to their first Davis Cup crown in more than 70 years in 2015 it was five years after Djokovic had done the same for his country.

Murray owns two Olympic gold medals to Djokovic’s zero but when it comes to evaluating tennis greatness, the No.1 ranking is a pre-requisite.

That Murray achieved it during a golden era for men’s tennis graced by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic exonerates him entirely for taking so long.

Since 2004, a year before Murray turned professional, only that trio have topped the rankings. The Scot got to No.2 in 2009 but has banged his head on a glass ceiling since.

“Three guys in a 13-year stretch, that’s unprecedented,” Murray’s former coach Brad Gilbert told Reuters.

“Challenging for No.1 means you … can’t have a bad week or few weeks. That’s why Federer, Djokovic and Nadal have sustained it so long.

“It’s taken Murray a long time. Three years ago it was just a hope for Andy but this year it’s been a belief.”

Seventeen-times grand slam champion Federer holds the record of 302 weeks spent at No.1 while 14-times major winner Nadal has enjoyed 141 weeks on top of the pile.

Djokovic, who has 12 slams after beating Murray in the Australian and French Open finals this year, is fifth on the all-time list with 223 weeks.

Murray, for so long the ‘other man’ in the so-called Big Four, is unlikely to get close to those totals.

While Djokovic’s form since the French Open has fallen away, Murray’s run since Roland Garros has been epic.

He was undefeated on grass, winning at Queen’s Club and Wimbledon and he scooped Rio de Janeiro gold during a 22-match unbeaten sequence that was ended by Marin Cilic in the Southern and Western Open final in Cincinnati in August.

Exhaustion caught up with Murray at the US Open where Kei Nishikori knocked him out in the quarter-finals but he recharged and stormed back to claim titles in Beijing, Shanghai and Vienna.

His win over Raonic on Saturday was his 18th in a row, taking his tally for the year to a career record 73.

Murray will receive a hero’s welcome at the ATP World Tour Finals in London later this month but the battle goes on with the year-end No.1 ranking still on the line.

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