Matt Banji looks at the British number one’s chances of reaching the ATP Finals…
The highly alluring scent of eel pie and mash must already be descending on British tennis hero Andy Murray as the end of the season dawns.
With London due to host the ATP Championship Finals in just over a week’s time, the 2013 Wimbledon champion is prompting himself closer to competing in the capital.
The 27-year-old disposed of Spanish ace David Ferrer to win the Vienna Open final just over a week ago.
The Scot must now be quite a familiar face with Ferrer as this was the stars’ third meeting in as many weeks.
Previously, Ferrer had beaten Murray in the third round of the Shanghai Masters earlier this month, but was defeated by the Briton in the final of the Vienna Open before suffering his second loss to the Scot in the final of the Valencia Open.
Despite these positive victories, Murray still had one more obstacle to overcome in the chase for Valencian victory.
Ferrer’s compatriot Tommy Robredo also looked to cause upset to Murray’s ATP campaign, but the British star did not allow the Spaniard’s home advantage to deflate him, and after three hours and twenty minutes of relentless tennis, Murray eventually took the title and climbed up to fifth in the ATP world rankings.
Currently, Murray is in a very strong position – ninth place would be high enough to see the Brit qualify for the finals in the capital; however, his involvement in the tournament is not yet guaranteed.
The ace must now conquer the fashionable city of Paris as he takes to the courts of the French capital to compete in the Paris Masters.
As things currently stand, Murray must reach the quarter-finals of the French competition in order to cement his place in the ATP finals, and he may experience some bouts of turbulence as he faces some difficult encounters from some of the biggest names in tennis.
Despite having already qualified, the likes of Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, and Novak Djokovic will be hoping to give Murray a tough time reaching the quarter-final stage. Can the Brit prove he can beat the toughest of opposition and secure his spot in London?