Seventh ATP title of 2016 lifts Andy Murray within touching distance of No.1 assyriologue

A straight sets 6-3 7-6 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the Erste Bank Open 500 tournament in Vienna has left the Scot just 415 points adrift of Djokovic in the year-end ATP Tour rankings.

Murray has now won three straight titles after claiming the China Open and Shanghai Masters crowns earlier this month, keeping up the pressure on his Serbian rival, who had a big lead going into the summer.



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But since then, the 29-year-old Murray has been in the form of his life, taking the Wimbledon and Olympic titles before a late season charge for the number one honors.

Djokovic, the defending Paris Masters champion, can lose his coveted status if he does not reach the final in the French capital next weekend and Murray takes that title.

'I get a step closer with every win but it's still a long way from here,' Murray told the official ATP Tour website.

'From two to one seems a small jump in a way but it's the hardest one to make. To go from 100 to 50 is more spots but is a lot easier.'

Few would be betting against him, with Tsonga his latest victim in the final in Austria, his seventh title of the season and 42nd overall on the ATP Tour.

The Frenchman was broken in his opening service game and could not trouble Murray during a one-sided opening set.

Tsonga fell 1-3 down in the second set until showing his quality by recovering the break and forcing a tiebreak.

It was a tight affair, but Murray, as he has done so many times this season, found an extra gear to close out the win on his second match point, serving his fifth ace.

Murray would become the oldest first-time No.1 since Australian John Newcombe, who was 30 when he achieved the feat in 1974.

A second opportunity could present itself at the end of season ATP World Tour Finals in London, where Djokovic is also the defending champion.

Djokovic, already in Paris for the ATP 1000 event, told reporters Sunday that Murray's bid for top spot had given him fresh inspiration.

'It makes me want to go on court and fight for every point because there is something to win at the end,' he said

Defeat for Tsonga has dented his chances of making the eight-man finals, while Marin Cilic, who took the Basel final Sunday, beating Kei Nishikori of Japan, 6-1 7-6, has boosted his.

The Croatian has a lead of 210 points over ninth-placed Tomas Berdych after surviving a set point against Nishikori in the second set before closing out victory in the tiebreaker.

It was his 16th career title.

It was his 16th career title. Murray would become the oldest first-time No.1 since Australian John Newcombe, who was 30 when he achieved the feat in 1974. 'From two to one seems a small jump in a way but it's the hardest one to make. To go from 100 to 50 is more spots but is a lot easier.' Tsonga fell 1-3 down in the second set until showing his quality by recovering the break and forcing a tiebreak. Murray has now won three straight titles after claiming the China Open and Shanghai Masters crowns earlier this month, keeping up the pressure on his Serbian rival, who had a big lead going into the summer. 'I get a step closer with every win but it's still a long way from here,' Murray told the official ATP Tour website. The Croatian has a lead of 210 points over ninth-placed Tomas Berdych after surviving a set point against Nishikori in the second set before closing out victory in the tiebreaker. Defeat for Tsonga has dented his chances of making the eight-man finals, while Marin Cilic, who took the Basel final Sunday, beating Kei Nishikori of Japan, 6-1 7-6, has boosted his. It was his 16th career title. Murray would become the oldest first-time No.1 since Australian John Newcombe, who was 30 when he achieved the feat in 1974. Few would be betting against him, with Tsonga his latest victim in the final in Austria, his seventh title of the season and 42nd overall on the ATP Tour. Murray has now won three straight titles after claiming the China Open and Shanghai Masters crowns earlier this month, keeping up the pressure on his Serbian rival, who had a big lead going into the summer. Murray would become the oldest first-time No.1 since Australian John Newcombe, who was 30 when he achieved the feat in 1974. 'I get a step closer with every win but it's still a long way from here,' Murray told the official ATP Tour website. Djokovic, already in Paris for the ATP 1000 event, told reporters Sunday that Murray's bid for top spot had given him fresh inspiration. It was a tight affair, but Murray, as he has done so many times this season, found an extra gear to close out the win on his second match point, serving his fifth ace. 'It makes me want to go on court and fight for every point because there is something to win at the end,' he said

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