World number one might be a step too far, says Wawrinka

In contrast, Murray, who has never been past the semi-finals of the event, has to survive a tricky group featuring US Open champion Stan Wawrinka as well as Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Croat Marin Cilic, who have both beaten the Scot this year.

It’ll be the fourth career clash between them after three wins for the Serb on slow hard, fast hard and clay, all of which were straight sets successes for Djokovic, but what sort of form and fitness will he be in this week?

Problems with his wrist and arm have not helped, and Djokovic’s normally fearsome groundstrokes carried little pop as he and Thiem kept each other at arm’s length in the opening set.

“I started swinging more freely”.

Novak Djokovic was embroiled in a tetchy exchange with reporters after defeating Dominic Thiem in his Tour Finals opener.

At Monday’s press conference, Djokovic was asked whether or not behavior of this nature could “cost him dearly”, citing that the ball could have caused an injury to a spectator.

“The first few years I played here, I did play well”.

It took just 22 minutes for Djokovic to take the second set without losing a game, and he lost just two in the decider as he eased across the finish line in two hours and two minutes.

“I like that, it’s good”.

A third set point went begging with a backhand into the net and the Serbian then saved a fourth before opening up his own opportunity at 9-8 in front. I feel a lot more level-headed. “After that I knew it would be crucial for me to start with a break at the start of the second set, which I did”.

Novak Djokovic reacted furiously after being grilled about a potentially risky incident when he slammed a ball into the stands during his ATP Tour Finals win over Dominic Thiem on Sunday.

Nevertheless, there will be other differences for Murray at a tournament where he has rarely played his best tennis.

“It’s awesome what’s hes doing right now with his consistency and how he keeps winning”, Wawrinka said. I mean, 17,000 (people); it’s, I think, by far the biggest crowd I ever played (in front of). That’s why they cheered a lot for me I guess. “There’s no reason to think he won’t have a really good tournament here”.

“All in all it was a very good year that I’m proud of”.

With a victory on Sunday, Djokovic can also join Roger Federer as the only players to win the season-ending tournament six times.

Lendl is not travelling as much as he did in their first spell working together and has linked up with Murray in London for the first time since the US Open two months ago.