Murray calm ahead of final assault on summit

Scot could claim No 1 ranking with win in Paris

Andy Murray said on Monday he feels no additional pressure ahead of his quest to wrest the world's No 1 ranking from long-time incumbent Novak Djokovic at this week's Paris Masters.

The Scot can supplant Djokovic at the summit by claiming a first title in the French capital - but only if the Serb fails to reach the final of an event he has dominated.

Murray has won three straight tournaments - Beijing, Shanghai and Vienna - to close in on Djokovic and he would become the oldest new No 1 since Australia's John Newcombe in 1974.

But the 29-year-old said his approach will remain the same and he vowed to block out the hysteria surrounding his potential ascent to the top.

"It's not in my control. I can obviously try to win my matches, but even if I win all of my matches this week, I still might not get there," said Murray.

"So it's in Novak's hands. He's ahead just now, so if he wins his matches and gets to the latter stages of the last two tournaments, then he'll most likely keep the No 1 spot.

"I don't feel any differently now to how I did six or eight weeks ago.

"My goal wasn't to finish No 1 at the end of this year. I just wanted to finish 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."

Best form of career

Murray, who has a first-round bye, will begin his Paris campaign against former world No 7 Fernando Verdasco, after the Spaniard progressed following the retirement of Dutchman Robin Haase.

Murray, who won Wimbledon in June, is riding a 15-match winning streak and lifted his career-best seventh title of the season following Sunday's straight-sets victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Austria.

"This year I have been healthy the whole year, and the last four or five months I have played the best of my career," Murray said, dismissing concerns over fatigue despite his recent winning run.

"I feel fine. I had a break after Shanghai, which I needed, and I didn't hit any balls until I arrived in Vienna.

"And then obviously I got the walkover (in the semifinals) on Saturday, which helped, so it was pretty much a rest day. And then the final wasn't too long, either. So I feel good."

But Murray smiled when viewing Djokovic's slump from a different perspective.

"He's been in the final in New York, won (the Rogers Cup) and reached the semis of Shanghai," he said.

"He's doing all right ... but I think I deserve to be there because I've recently been playing the best tennis of my entire career."

Stan Wawrinka, who lost to Djokovic in the Paris Masters semifinals last year, is excited about the ongoing fight for the world's top ranking.

"I'm looking forward to see what's going to be the result of Andy and Novak here, and in London (at the ATP finals)," Wawrinka said.

"Novak just lost three matches in three tournaments. People talk. But for the rest, he always won."

Murray owns an impressive 69-9 record in 2016 and is just two wins shy of last year's win total, but he was swept aside convincingly by Djokovic in last year's Paris final.

The Serb admitted Murray's assault on his No 1 ranking had rejuvenated his own faltering season as he looks to extend his 122-week reign.

After completing a career grand slam at the French Open, Djokovic crashed out prematurely at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics and lost to Wawrinka in the final of the US Open.

He has fond memories in France, though, and will attempt to win a fourth consecutive Paris Masters crown to keep Murray waiting.

"It makes me want to go on court and fight for every point because there is something to win at the end," said the 12-time major winner.