Andy Murray defeated Jo-WIlfried Tsonga in the Vienna final. Murray is now a step closer to surpassing Novak Djokovic on the ATP Rankings List.
Andy Murray handed a straight-sets loss to Tsonga in the Erste Bank Open final, winnning 6-3 7-6 (8-6). The match lasted almost two hours – one hour and 49 minutes.
After taking the first set with ease, Murray was on track to do the same as he was up 3-0 in the following one. Yet, Tsonga made efforts to get himself back into the match and pushed Murray into the second-set tie-break. However, that was all from Tsonga as Murray made sure to close out the clash in two-sets.
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The 29-year-old Murray has been dominant the whole of October as he also made it all the way in Beijing and Shanghai. Murray will finish the month with three titles and a 14-0 win/loss record.
Overall, it was Murray’s seventh title of the season, including the Olympics.
The title means more than a just a win at the event for Murray. Murray’s chances of overtaking Djokovic on the rankings before the season ends now are much more realistic. The additional 500 points earned in Vienna help the world number 2 close the gap on Djokovic.
The British tennis player is now set to feature at the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris next week. Murray will have a bye first-round.
If Murray wins it all in Paris and Djokovic loses before the final, Murray will become the best tennis player in the world. There are couple more options which could see Murray edging Djokovic on the list after the tournament.
When it comes to Tsonga, he failed to win his first ATP title of the season this week in Vienna. It’s likely he will end 2016 without a trophy. Paris will be Tsonga’s last opportunity to make it all the way at an ATP event. The 31-year-old Tsonga also has a bye first-round at the tournament.
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