Tennis World Rankings - Andy Murray leapfrogs Roger Federer to go third
Last updated 10/23/2011 12:37:40 PM
Tennis World Rankings - Andy Murray leapfrogs Roger Federer to go third
Andy Murray moved up to third in the world after leapfrogging Roger Federer and then expressed his disappointment at not challenging for the number one spot by the end of the year.
The 24 year old Scot has just completed a spectacular run of three successive tournament victories in Thailand, Japan and China and must be keeping his fingers crossed that the talk of a fifth Grand Slam in Asia comes to fruition.
The latest triumph, taking his run of wins to 25 out of the last 26 matches, saw him retain his title in the Shanghai Masters by sweeping aside David Ferrer 7-5 6-4.
The 24 year old Scot revealed that his current run is based around his gluten-free diet regime, following in the footsteps of the World number one Novak Djokovic.
The problem now is that when Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal hear that both are at it successfully, they too will switch their dining habits!
The truth is, however, far more simple than what Murray eats, it is much more to do with confidence and the fine balance between attack and defence and, most importantly, when to do what.
Murray said after this latest triumph: "The goal was to be number one but after the US Open that was not possible. I've said I wanted to finish the year ranked as number three because I haven't done that before.
"I've not achieved three yet, but this is one of the best runs I have been on and I am playing very well.
"If you finish in front of Federer in a year, then there's not many people the last five, six, seven years that have been able to say that."
Fourth-placed Federer has not been outside of the top three since before he landed the first of his 16 Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon in 2003.
Discussing Federer, Murray added: "For a lot of years everything went very right for Federer. He's had a few tournaments this year where maybe things could have gone his way and they didn't but I'm sure next year he'll be competing. He's still playing great tennis."
Murray has now won three tournaments in Asia this month alone. He had a spell as world number two in the summer of 2009 but has never finished a year inside the top three.
He has still to make up his mind on appointing a top coach and should not let this run of success deflect his attention as he seeks to close out his season against the best the world can offer at the O2 in London next month.
If he can win that one then all it leases is a Grand Slam – and that cannot be far away!