Novak Djokovic ready to fight as Andy Murray targets number one spot at Paris Masters
Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Novak Djokovic is ready to fight for his world number one status as Andy Murray heads into this week's Paris Masters looking to overtake the Serb.
Briton Murray, 29, won his third title in as many weeks with victory in Vienna on Sunday, and could top the rankings with another good run in Paris.
Four-time champion Djokovic says he is rejuvenated after a slump in form.
"It makes me want to go on court and fight for every point because there is something to win at the end," he said.
He will open his campaign against Gilles Muller on Wednesday, while second seed Murray will face Fernando Verdasco.
Djokovic, 29, returns to action after losing in the Shanghai semi-finals two weeks ago.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion has finished four of the past five years as the world number one and will hold on to the top ranking if he reaches the final in Paris.
However, failure to do so would allow Murray to overtake him if the Scot can win, or if Murray reaches the final and Djokovic falls before the semis.
"I have been in these particular situations before in terms of ranking, so I know what to do, and I just keep things very simple," said Djokovic.
The top seed returns to Paris for the first time since completing the career Grand Slam with a first French Open title in June, but since then his form has dipped.
Djokovic won in Toronto but lost early at Wimbledon and the Olympics, and suffered a bruising defeat by Stan Wawrinka in the US Open final.
"Winning the French Open this year has brought a lot of joy to me but on the other hand has taken away a lot from me, as well," said Djokovic.
"I felt a little bit exhausted, I must say, and maybe less motivated. So I had to kind of rediscover that feeling of being on the court and keep pushing myself.
"I guess it took a little bit of time, more time, and I'm in a better state of mind at the moment than I was some months ago."
Murray, in contrast, has won 52 of his past 56 matches, and secured his seventh title of the year in Vienna on Sunday.
"You've got to give him credit for what he's done in the last three or four months - the second part of the year is quite incredible," said Djokovic.
"He's playing maybe the best tennis he's ever played, very consistent, very strong. He definitely deserves to be in the position of being number one at the end of the year.
"But that doesn't just depend on him."
Murray has closed the gap dramatically in terms of points over the past four months and now trails by just 415, with 1,000 on offer to the winner in Paris.
But Djokovic has won for the past three years on the indoor courts of Bercy.
"Obviously he could win the event and, if I lose in the first round, then I am a long way from being number one," said Murray.
"I've never won there before, so to just expect that you're going to win the tournament would be silly.
"I don't feel any differently now to how I did six or eight weeks ago. My goal wasn't to finish as number one at the end of this year.
"I wanted to finish this year as strong as possible and I think there is a lot stronger chance of doing it in the early part of next year, which is what I targeted rather than this week."
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Here we go again with the Socttish debate, time to drop it Murrays said nothing different to the most of us.
I support England when they play as a seperate nation and like to see them be better than the other home nations.
A good friend of mine is Welsh and feels the same way with Wales
However whenever we compete together as one nation we both happily back them.
I think next year could be a really amazing year for Murray if he keeps up this form. Right now he is the best in the world and would totally deserve to be number one.
Not nearly as unbearable as reading ridiculous comments such as these
To have Andy on the brink of being No. 1 is unbelievable. He is one of the greatest sportsmen this country has ever produced - I'm thrilled to have been around to see his achievements.
At the end of this week it'll be yours Andy.
Henman was decent, that was all - decent. Murray is on a different level compared to Henman.
IF my Auntie had balls she'd be my Uncle.
The rankings do not lie, they reflect the results over the previous 12 months. In January Djokovic was some 8000 points clear of Murray, now in October it's 415 points.
That shows exactly what has happened since the end of Australian Open.
The rankings are an accurate mathematical representation of all results over 52 weeks play, simple as
A textbook lesson in irony!