Originally Posted by Irishguy123:
“On the subject of Murray trying to get to #1, I saw this comment on the ATP Facebook page:
I agree tbh. I mean I'd love Andy to make it to #1. but Djokovic would still be the true #1 in my eyes.”
I might take the point of Djokovic having more slams, but the top players all treat the Olympics as just as important, and to make comparisons including Slams and Masters, but without including the Olympics is a slight of hand. There was a point where Murray was the holder of two Slams and Gold, but he wasn't near #1, and Djokovic fans weren't campaigning for him then.
Murray still has a lot to do if he's to get to #1, so far from guaranteed, but there are a number of players who have got to #1 having achieved less in the previous year than Murray has in this past year, so the suggestion he wouldn't deserve it is sour grapes from a small sub-set of Djokovic fans. They didn't complain about the path being easier for Djokovic when Murray was absent because of injury, or under-performing on clay especially, because of his back problems.
The idea that Murray is adding events to his schedule to vulture is also paranoid nonsense. It's mandatory for players to take part in at least one 500 event during this period, and there is a maximum of four slots within the 500 category for countable points across the year. Djokovic was playing in 500 events while Murray took time off after his baby was born. Murray had two of them empty prior to Beijing, and Vienna will replace the zero pointer he's been carrying for the last year for not competing at Basel because he prioritised Davis Cup. Murray had scheduled Vienna months ago, so it wasn't a last minute add, hoping to sneak the #1 spot. There are no points for Davis Cup this year, and as soon as the last of those points drop, he'll have another empty space in the 500 category, which means he's under-represented in that category.
From a points perspective, Murray has wasted time and energy competing hard at the Olympics and Davis Cup. If he'd skipped the Olympics, he'd have entered the Canada Masters, where he's had a lot of success, and probably done better at the US Open.
There's lots of what-ifs involved when it comes to scheduling and points, and fans of players are bound to notice the times when their favourite is disadvantaged, but very few notice when it happens to their rivals. There are people who have got to number one with less points than Murray holds now, or at previous points in his career.
Murray still has a lot to do before he can get to the actual, official number one, so I think people are getting ahead of themselves, but I find it astonishing that any serious follower of tennis might claim that he's fluked it, or cheated his way there.