ANDY MURRAY WINS TITLE FROM RICHARD EVANS, PARIS

Written by: Staff on 6th November 2016

BNP Paribas 2016 Masters Tennis Tournament

ANDY MURRAY WINS TITLE FROM RICHARD EVANS, PARIS

epa05620183 Andy Murray of Britain celebrates with the trophy after winning the men's single final match at the BNP Paribas 2016 Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 06 November 2016. EPA/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON |

Andy Murray won his 19th consecutive match and his 4th title in 4 tournaments over 5 weeks in 3 countries when he defeated John Isner to take the BNP Paribas Masters for the first time here at a packed and raucous Accor Arena.

Statistics can be numbing so let Isner, a graceful loser as ever, put it simply. “Andy’s the guy everyone’s looking up to right now.”

The somber Scot, who is not inclined to do a Highland jig, admitted that his ascent to the exalted position of world No 1 on Saturday had not dampened his desire to finish off the week with a victory. “I wondered if I might be a bit flat having achieved something big,” Murray admitted. “But I was pleased to find myself really nervous before the match.”

With Isner, by his own admission, playing his best tennis of the year, Murray needed the energy that nerves provide in a match that almost went down to the wire. It was only in the tenth game of the final set that the giant American lost it by the eventual score of 6-3, 6-7, 6-4.

John Isner of the US returns the ball to Andy Murray of Britain during the final match at the BNP Paribas 2016 Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 06 November 2016. EPA/IAN LANGSDON

And ironically, after a fine demonstration of volleying, he lost by netting two low backhand volleys. But Peter Fleming, the 6ft 7” former Grand Slam doubles champion who knows how difficult it is for tall guys to get down to that shot, put it in perspective.

“He had kept Murray at bay by serving 79% first serves – until the final game,” said Fleming who was here commentating for Britain’s Sky Sports. “Then John missed 5 first serves in 6, giving Andy the chance to come up with those tough, low service returns. That was the match.”

In other words, in the crunch, the better man won and that should come as no surprise if we are talking about Murray because winning becomes a habit and, after 19 straight, he is starting to look like a player who has forgotten how to lose.

Murray hopes he can keep that mind set as he heads for London and the ATP World Finals which divides up the world’s Top Eight into two round robin groups of four before playing knock out semi-finals. Like this Masters 1000 here in Paris, the ATP Finals is an event Murray has never won and he has not played his best tennis at the 17,500 capacity 02 Arena in recent years.

“The last couple of years have been tough for me there,” he said. “So obviously I want to try and play my best tennis there and finish the year on a good note. I am sure I will be up for it because you’re competing against the best players in front of a big crowd.”

And in front of a home crowd for a change. But if Murray can handle the pressure of winning Olympic Gold at Wimbledon and then the title itself on two occasions, he should only be inspired by the support he is going to receive as Britain acclaims its new world No 1.

Isner felt he can look back on his last tournament of the year with some satisfaction. “Yea, although it was disappointing to lose today, I can take satisfaction. It was very close and my game is at the best it’s been all year. So it’s important for me to take this into the off season and do all the right things. I’m volleying incredibly well, better than I have ever volleyed. The more I do it in practice, the more I do it in matches, the better I’m going to be.”

Andy Murray of Britain shakes hand with John Isner of USA after winning the men’s single final match at the BNP Paribas 2016 Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 06 November 2016. EPA/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

Isner will finish as the top ranked America for the fifth straight year and in the world’s top twenty for the seventh consecutive season. And he intends to continue. “I think I have a lot of tennis left in me,” he said. “Fortunately, given my style of play, I’m not grinding too much out there, or at least I shouldn’t be. That’s going to save me a bit. I consider myself to be in pretty good shape and, for a big guy, I have stayed incredibly healthy throughout my career as well.”

So Isner will be the man to chase for the pack of young American who are starting to make their mark on the ATP tour. But for the men’s game as a whole, there is a real feeling now that Andy Murray, more than Novak Djokovic, is going to be the leader of the pack in 2017.

Djokovic could change all that in London but Isner, like most of his colleagues, is looking to Murray. “Everyone knows how hard he works and how dedicated he is,” said Isner. “He’s a big inspiration to myself and I’m sure he’s a big inspiration to other players, as well.”

Topics: 10sballs.com, Andy Murray, Atp World Tour, Bnp Paribas Masters, John Isner, Paris, Richard Evans, Tennis News