Andy Murray vows to ignore distractions at ATP Tour Finals

Among the guests to see his 6-7 (10), 6-0, 6-2 win against Dominic Thiem at the O2 Arena Sunday afternoon was Jose Mourinho. Thiem at least managed to win two games in the decider, but he committed 14 unforced errors in the third set compared to Djokovic’s four.

Murray’s motivation now is to improve on his dismal World Tour Finals record and ensure he consolidates his position at the top of the standings by ending the year as the No 1.

After holding on during his first serving game, Thiem was broken in the second and there was always going to be one outcome from there on in.

“Dominic started very well and we played on a very high level from the first point”, Djokovic said.

“It was definitely not easy”.

Djokovic has now gotten his bid to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking from Andy Murray off to the right start. “Compared to the last few tournaments, it was a very good match for me today”.

The Czechs won a fifth title in six years, their 10th overall, and became the first team to win three consecutive Fed Cups since Spain from 1993-95. The Scot came through an intense quarter-final against Tomas Berdych and secured number one spot when Raonic pulled out of their semi-final due to a leg injury.

It was unusual that Djokovic did not even attempt to intercept the forehand victor that Thiem blasted down the middle of the court.

It drew a warning from umpire Carlos Bernardes but appeared to release rather than increase the tension felt by Djokovic, who eased away from Finals debutant Thiem.

The 29-year-old suffered another final defeat to Djokovic as the Serb won 6-2 3-6 6-3 in the Spanish capital.

Djokovic himself held his first set a few points later up 9-8. He has never made the final but knows that must change if he is to stop Djokovic from snatching back the crown.

However, Djokovic saved all three and then three more to take the tie break to 10-10, and it was only at the seventh time of asking that Thiem finally clinched the set. On the next point, Thiem ripped a forehand victor to seal the set 7-6 (10).

Cilic is probably in the hottest form of anyone apart from the Scot and won their most recent contest in Cincinnati in August, which represented an auspicious start to his partnership with Bjorkman.

Thiem, unable to produce the same high level as earlier, quickly fell behind.

Murray overtook Novak Djokovic at the top of the rankings last week and is locked in a battle with the Serb to see which of them ends the year as world number one.

The momentum stayed with Djokovic from then on even though Thiem began showing more energy than before.

However, Djokovic is a savvy enough all-rounder to adapt to any game.

The 12-time Grand Slam victor staved off a break point at 5-5, but Djokovic remained an unsettled figure, grumbling to a line judge; “Was it in or out?”

Djokovic offered a reminder to Murray he’s no spent force just yet. It was over an hour, the first set.

In the following sets, it got to be too much for the Austrian, who was making his debut at the tournament for the top eight players in the world. With each match win being awarded 200 points, every single win will be vital for both players. I mean, 17,000 (people); it’s, I think, by far the biggest crowd I ever played (in front of).

And, in a quirk of fate, Murray’s first match as world number one will find him pitted against Cilic and Bjorkman.