On This Day
On This Day: Murray’s surge to No. 1 in 2016
Scot spent 41 weeks at No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings
November 07, 2025
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Andy Murray gained 9 titles in 2016, turning into World No. 1 for the primary time in November.
By Sam Jacot
Andy Murray ended the Massive Three’s 666-week No. 1 reign on this present day in 2016 after a scintillating run noticed him dethrone Novak Djokovic at No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings.
The Scot spent the vast majority of 2015 contained in the High 3 within the PIF ATP Rankings and began 2016 by reaching the fifth and final Australian Open title match of his profession. Murray fell to Djokovic within the championship match and misplaced to Serbian once more within the Madrid closing 4 months later. He gained revenge in Rome, the place he captured his first ATP Masters 1000 title of the season and backed that up by reaching one other main closing at Roland Garros.
Whereas Murray’s progress thus far in 2016 had been robust, the grass-court swing supplied the primary main spotlight. As was the case so usually in his profession, the then 29-year-old produced his finest on London’s lawns, profitable Queen’s and Wimbledon to change into simply the seventh participant to finish the Queen’s-Wimbledon double. Alcaraz would additionally go on to attain the feat in 2023.
Through the North American hard-court swing, Murray reached the ultimate in Cincinnati and the final eight on the US Open. Arriving in Beijing in the beginning of October, Murray nonetheless trailed World No. 1 Djokovic by 4,695 factors. Nonetheless, it was two weeks and 10 straight-sets Murray wins in China that injected late-season intrigue into the 2016 race to change into ATP Yr-Finish No. 1 offered by PIF.
He took his tally to 6 titles for the season by claiming the trophy in Beijing after which seven on the ATP Masters 1000 occasion in Shanghai, victories that decreased the hole between World No. 1 Djokovic and Murray from 4,695 to 2,415 factors. The late-season wins saved coming when he returned to Europe.
He triumphed on the ATP 500 indoor-hard court docket occasion in Vienna to maneuver to inside vary of Djokovic, earlier than he captured his 14th and in the end closing ATP Masters 1000 title of his profession in Paris. With the Serbian solely reaching the quarters within the French capital, Murray grew to become the twenty sixth participant to rise to No. 1.
On the Nitto ATP Finals two weeks later, Murray beat Djokovic once more within the title match to earn ATP Yr-Finish No. 1 offered by PIF honours, capping an ideal 12 months by which he held a 78-9 report, in line with the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Murray went on to spend 41 weeks at No. 1 earlier than Rafael Nadal surpassed him in August 2017.
