Andy Murray and John Isner will be squaring off for the eighth time in their careers when they battle for the BNP Paribas Masters title on Sunday.
Murray is sweeping the head-to-head series 7-0, including 6-0 on hard courts (1-0 indoors). The Scot has taken seven consecutive sets from Isner dating back to a third-round meeting at the Shanghai Masters last fall. They have faced each other twice this season, with Murray cruising 7-6(9), 6-4, 6-3 at the French Open and 6-1, 6-3 in last week’s Vienna quarterfinals.
Regardless of Sunday’s outcome, Murray will become No. 1 in the world for the first time in his career on Monday. That almost seemed like a mathematical impossibility when Novak Djokovic captured his second Grand Slam title of the season by beating Murray in the French Open final.
“Things can turn around quickly in this sport and it’s just a strange sport,” Murray said. “You had Novak losing yesterday to a guy (Marin Cilic) who he won 14 times in a row against. And then John beating Cilic…who he’d lost six in a row against. Stuff can turn around quick.”
That has been exactly the case for Isner, who was a mere 28-20 this year prior to his arrival in Paris and in serious danger of being unseeded at the Australian Open. Suddenly, however, the 6’10” American has won five straight matches for the first time all season and will continue his streak of finishing seasons in the top 20 of the rankings. He has advanced this week with wins over Mischa Zverev, David Ferrer, Jan-Lennard Struff, Jack Sock, and Cilic.
Isner had been 0-6 lifetime against Cilic, and now he hopes to end similar futility against Murray.
“[Facing Andy] is going to be a huge challenge for me, but that’s what makes this game so awesome and so tough at the same time,” Isner commented. “There are so many great players, and Andy, of course, is one of the all-time greats in my opinion. I have never beaten him before. He’s had my number. But also I had never beaten Cilic before.”
Murray, of course, has had just about everyone’s number of late. He was won six of his last eight tournaments dating back to Queen’s Club this summer, a stretch that also includes titles at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics. Unless Murray experiences a letdown having already clinched the No. 1 ranking, his dominance of Isner–and really everyone–should continue.
Pick: Murray in 2
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who ya got?
Big Dawg was awesome this am vs Cilic…he’ll do it again in the Finals…in straight!
haha
altho u did have Cilic in 2 after Djoker so…..
I didn’t have any expectations on Isner today, just hoping. He played a great match. No expectations tomorrow, just hoping again. He’s not dealing with a blister and I hope it’s competitive. Go Isner! Would love to see him win. But win or lose, happy he turned things around at the end of the year.
Isner in three
obviously Murray the better player but odds on Isner ridiculously low.
I meant odds on Murray too low of course lol
For Murray supporters it doesn’t bear thinking that Andy might possibly stumble on his first day as No.1 . However one has to be realistic and accept anything is possible: i.e Isner could take a set.
Murray in 3
but hoping he can get it done in 2
Isner is on fire and his wins this week have all been impressive. Taking out the in-form Zverev, Sock and Cilic is especially impressive. You’d think Murray will be able to get too many serves back in play today to give Isner a real shot, but if he makes a lot of first serves you never know. The way he’s been aggressively attacking people’s second serves I think he could get stuck into Murray’s service games a little more than you might expect, as Murray’s second serve is easier to attack than Sock’s and Cilic’s, which he did well against.