The Paris title will come down to Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray on Sunday. Murray is No. 3 in the world but will climb to second on Monday and be seeded No. 2 in London regardless of this result.
Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will be squaring off for the 30th time in their careers and for the seventh time this season when they meet again in the BNP Paribas Masters on Sunday.
Djokovic is dominating the head-to-head series 20-9, including 5-1 in 2015. The top-ranked Serb lost to Murray at the Rogers Cup this summer but crushed him 6-1, 6-3 in last month’s Shanghai semis. They faced each other for the first time at this Paris Masters event in 2014, when Djokovic rolled through a quarterfinal encounter 7-5, 6-2.
Like his opponent, Murray has played only Shanghai and Paris so far this fall. But the third-seeded Scot still has the World Tour Finals and the Davis Cup championship tie against Belgium remaining on his schedule. Despite those upcoming responsibilities, Murray is looking extremely focused on Paris. He punched his ticket to the final by defeating Borna Coric, David Goffin, Richard Gasquet, and David Ferrer–surrendering just one set to Gasquet in the process.
Djokovic is one away from a third consecutive triumph at this tournament. Challengers who have come and gone this week are Thomaz Bellucci, Gilles Simon, Tomas Berdych, and Stan Wawrinka, However, the No. 1 seed did not exactly coast in the quarters and semis. Djokovic edged Berdych in two tiebreakers with no breaks of serve before holding off Wawrinka 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 on Saturday.
With nine wins in their last 10 meetings, Djokovic is clearly a massive favorite in this one. Murray’s recent victory came when the reigning Australian Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open champion was visibly out of sorts during the Canada-Cincinnati stretch.
To say he is out of sorts no more would be an understatement.
Pick: Djokovic in 2
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Novak in straights. I have a feeling he plays his best match of the week here.
I agree, Novak in two. I’ll never back Murray to beat Novak, after how time and again he fell short despite playing his best tennis in the previous round. Murray just couldnt handle Novak these days.
Novak has turned into a monster on any surface; indoor HCs of medium pace where there’s no wind or heat issues suit him best. Its no wonder hes winning so much on indoor HCs at end of seasons despite winning so much and going deep in tournaments, year after year. Three Paris Masters (may be four come this Sunday) and four WTF titles, that says it all.
Go for it Andy..but then I feel you have only 10% chance. However I would love for you to stop Novak from winning 6 Masters in a season and holding joint record with Rafa (5)
I have to go with Novak in 2 sets. I have picked Murray at times in the past and have been proven wrong every time. I would love to think that Murray has a chance, but I just don’t see it happening. Murray is playing quite well now, but with the exception of Montreal, he has not been able to beat Novak.
I would love an upset but what djoko is doing is also something quite special and i am kind of rooting for him to set records as long as he is not defeating rafa in the process? but considering the issues murray has against novak in the recent past, i would be surprised if it goes three sets.
Vmk: **considering the issues murray has against novak in the recent past,**
What do you call the recent past? Are you taking into account the months when Muzz was battling against an increasingly severe back problem and the post operative period?
ed,even if Muzz was bothered by the back problems, their matches seem to follow a familiar pattern in that Muzz manages to keep things close for set or two and the decider is a blowout. I think he has lost the physical edge to hang with Djoko for the duration of the match. Exception was TOronto, of course
Montreal
It all depends on whether Ping can keep the ball in play longer than Pong.
Or whether Pong even wants to……………………………………………. ?
True he has been a monster the whole year but chinks in his armour are visible from time to time, So far he has shown incredible strength in crunch moments and pulled the rabbit out of the hat at the last moment. The mood Djokovic is in right now I doubt anybody would stop him today.
Certainly not Murray who has no intention of leaving his guts on the Bercy court.
Djokovic in 2 sets
#Nothing to do with their H2H
Yes, Djokovic’s mood is robotic. Very boring to watch.
I felt like that during Sampras’s reign.
his MOOD is robotic?
He plays like a robot that does the same repetitive move over and over again and programmed not to miss. The only way to get the better of him is to play attacking tennis. Murray plays the same way that’s why a match between them is a snoozefest.
Were you replying to Nadline, or me?
If it was to me, the answer is I frequently found it hard to sustain interest throughout a Sampras NID match. I prefer some DEGREE of suspense.
Don’t most people?
robotic? too bad that robot is the best on the planet ha
Love Ricky’s subtle clues these days in the Poll alternatives options 😉
PopSocks cruising comfortably. Just taken 1st set and are on their way to qualify for the WTF.
Hope I haven’t been too hasty. Dodig and Melo have upped their level a lot.
And have broken Popsocks.
Pospisil broken from 40-15 up
Got over excited. Should have guessed the professional pair would not be put out so easily by the amateur pair.
Djokovic has a punishment lined up for anybody who has the temerity to take a set off him.
Reblogged this on Tennis Abides.
Having a blast watching the doubs finals….and I like Murray in the upset, in straight.
Has any player ever made all Masters 1000 finals in a year? Hasn’t Nole made all 8 he has played? He skipped Madrid right?
no way
http://www.clipartbest.com/cliparts/dcr/ebb/dcrebbqMi.gif
Can’t wait
LOL ?
This is what Murray feels like
http://blog.alltheanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/ping_pong_the_animation-10-kazama-hoshino-dragon-peco-semifinals-giant-imagery-intimidation-symbolism-table_tennis_match.jpg
Koenig is in full flood eulogising Djokovic with occasional lukewarm praise for Murray.
Murray already broken three games into the first set! Hitting into the central region of the court wont work against Novak, hes camping there and can redirect the ball anywhere he wants; you got to make him move, any direction rather than let him redirect the ball at will.
Djokovic’s defence is insane!
Impenetrable!
yup…. have not seen better defending by anyone on a hard court
rafa of AO 2009 is the biggest challenger haha
Yup but that such defense takes it toll on the body, Novak seems to do it for fun:O
that was a perfect S&V and novak still won the point…..
Muzz pulls it back to deuce
That’s what happens when you give Novak angles. Not as easy as it seems.
massive hold !
Murray goes CC too often for my liking; couldve won some points going DTL when Novak is expecting the CC shots.
I think Fed still a smarter player on the HC to deal with Novak.