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Andy Murray is now Britain’s greatest ever sportsman after he won the ATP World Tour Finals to end the year as world No 1, according to Mark Petchey. The Scots former coach told Sky Sports News HQ recently that if Murray could overhaul long-time rival Novak Djokovic at the top of the rankings then he should be recognised as Great Britains ultimate sportsman.Murray guaranteed that he would hold on to his recently acquired No 1 spot going into the end of the season on Sunday as he beat Djokovic in straight sets to claim his first World Tour Finals title and Petchey stands by his earlier assessment. Andy Murray is now Britains greatest sportsman according to Mark Petchey Its probably going to be a good pub chat, a lot of people are going to have different views on who should be and who shouldnt be, he told Sky Sports News HQ. Every day I walk past Daley Thompsons gym - there will be a lot of people who think he was one of the greatest sports people.I just think for Andy in terms of the fact that his opponents can impact his performance, the things he has to do in terms of overcoming them tactically, you saw it this week the different styles of players, the different surfaces he has to play on, criss-crossing the globe the way he does.For me he is [Britains greatest ever sportsman] but there will be others that definitely disagree. Highlights of the final of the ATP World Tour Finals between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic from the O2 Arena, London Murray won his second Wimbledon title this year and defended his Olympic gold medal, but in order to maintain his new ranking he had to better Djokovics tournament in London, which meant he could not afford to slip up.There was no room for error. He was one point away from not making it. Milos [Raonic] takes the match point in the semi-final and thats it, so he could not afford to lose one single match in the entire period. He has been blemish-free, perfection personified throughout that run, Petchey said.Also, just the quality of opponents he beat at the World Tour Finals. There was a debate going about the validity of it all because Roger [Federer] and Rafa [Nadal] werent playing and he hadnt played Novak since the French Open. I didnt really agree with it so Im delighted for him when you look at the rankings that he beat that he couldnt have done it any harder. Murray won his second Wimbledon title earlier this year Petchey thinks it was important that Murray beat Djokovic in the final to cement his current status as the best player on the planet and stop any potential detractors from questioning the rankings. It was huge, I think had he not beaten Novak in the final it would have been somebody else, he hadnt played Novak in this tournament, he said.I think people who like to look at the glass half empty would have pulled that one up and said he hasnt beaten Novak since the French and therefore it wouldnt have had the same authenticity to it that it does because he did. Petchey thinks it was important that Murray beat Novak Djokovic in the final Petchey believes becoming a father earlier this year has helped Murrays tennis and has allowed him to take some breaks from the sport where he would not have before. He also agrees with Djokovics assessment that his wife Kim deserves special praise.I think it has been a very settling thing for Andy, obviously it was an adjustment but it is incredible to look at how well he has performed within the lines. I think Novak was right; Kim has obviously done a fantastic job. She has managed to keep Andy in the place he can be to play the tennis. I think it has given him a focus away from tennis.Petchey revealed he took great pleasure in watching Murray rise to the top of the rankings after seeing him playing a Futures event for the first time at the age of 16 and he expects the 29-year-old to be as competitive as ever next season. Andy Murray says he hopes to stay as world No 1 after beating Novak Djokovic in the ATP World Tour final in London Each success brings another debate. You talk to great champions of the past - we were fortunate enough to have Mats Wilander in the Sky Sports studio at the O2 and he actually hated being No 1. He said he got more pleasure once he got there from mowing the grass, he said. Yet you speak to Ivan [Lendl] and he loved it - the best thing ever was being the best tennis player on the planet. So youve got two differing views there and it will be a change for Andy, this whole period where he goes into his off-season, he is the best player on the planet in 2016. Murray poses with the ATP Tour Finals trophy and the year end world No 1 trophy So it will be a little bit of an adjustment for him. To be honest, knowing him, he is the most competitive person you will ever come across so I dont have any doubt in my mind that he will have that mantle rest fairly lightly on his shoulders.To watch Andy invest as much as he has and the pure joy of working hard, I think he deserves everything he has got. Hes not been given it because he is talented; he has earned every single trophy and every single accolade that he has been given throughout his career so far. Also See: Murray wins World Tour Finals How Murray beat Djokovic... Murray: I still need to improve An extraordinary effort Royals Jerseys 2020 .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Kansas City Royals Pro Shop . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. https://www.cheaproyals.com/ . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. Kansas City Royals Store . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Stitched Royals Jerseys . The parade and rally were held to celebrate the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday in the CFLs championship game. CLEVELAND -- Jason Kipnis was raised on Chicagos North Side, and like so many other kids, he grew up idolizing Ryne Sandberg, watching Sammy Sosa smash home runs and listening to Harry Caray.He bled Cubs blue.And he never once blamed Steve Bartman -- they went to the same high school, by the way.We have a joke, the Indians second baseman said, referring to the infamous fan vilified in Chicago for a failed attempt to catch a postseason foul ball. The only thing Im mad at Bartman for is missing an easy flyball.Kipnis finds himself in a unique situation in his first World Series, facing the team that helped shape his life. The Cubs are in his DNA. Theyre the team he learned to love, the one that taught him the game and the one that often broke his heart. But while Kipnis family and friends intend to remain true to their Cubbies over the next week, his loyalties are not divided.Theres zero conflict at all, he said Tuesday on the eve of Game 1. Lets be clear about that.Kipnis, though, said watching the Cubs wrap up their first NL pennant since 1945 on TV was emotional. Some of his friends were at Wrigley Field on Saturday night and when the last out was recorded, part of Kipnis was there, too.I didnt know how to handle it, he said. I didnt know if I was happy, mad, sad. I was emotional. I was choked up, I was like, `Oh, no what does this mean right now? But its nothing more than excitement for the games.He was 11 in that magical summer of 1998 when Sosa and Mark McGwire seemed to belt a home run in every at-bat. Baseball was bulked up and booming and Kipnis was under its spell.As he reminisced during an interview session, the two-time All-Star seemed to remember every swing.Thats when I was really watching baseball closely and turning into a baseball fan, said Kipnis, who is dealing with a sprained left ankle sustained in Clevelands ALCS celebration. In the `98 season, it was `Hey, Sammys up, get to a TV every time. And on WGN there were always recaps of the games. Thats pretty much what I grew up on.He was in high school when Bartman, innocently sitting in a front row seat down the left-field field lane, became an unintentional celebrity in Game 6 of the NL Championship. The slight man, weaaring a Cubs cap and headphones so he could listen to the game on the radio, reached out and tried to catch a foul ball in the eighth inning as Cubs outfielder Moises Alou tried to close in.ddddddddddddThe Cubs derailed from there, blowing a big lead and losing and then dropping Game 7.The Curse had a new chapter.Kipnis lived close to Bartman and very vividly remembers seeing police staked out around his house to prevent any zealous fans from getting at him. There are Cubs fans to this day who hold a grudge toward Bartman. He has remained in hiding.He didnt deserve that, Kipnis said. He never asked for all the stuff that probably happened to him afterward. I dont think he deserved any of that. He was probably actually a pretty loyal fan and he wanted a ball, and its just the way events turns that turned him into this scapegoat.Kipnis wishes those Chicago fans who havent been able to let go would finally forgive Bartman and turn an ugly moment into something special.I would love to see him throw out a first pitch, he said. Everyone would go nuts.Despite his Second City roots, Kipnis knows hell be treated like a complete stranger -- and sworn enemy -- when the Series shifts to Wrigley for Game 3. Hes taking solace that there will be a few welcomed faces in the crowd.But the Friendly Confines wont be very friendly.He wouldnt have it any other way.If theyre Cubs fans, theyll boo as they should if youre a baseball fan, he said. But Ill have enough there that youll hopefully hear a couple cheers.Kipnis knows what a championship would mean to fans for both teams, who have gone a combined 174 seasons without celebrating a World Series title.They have the only drought that could make our drought look small, he said. Theyve got us by 40 years. Both franchises have been yearning for this championship, but its pretty neat one of them will come to an end.And Kipnis isnt torn over which one he hopes continues.Theres not one part of me that doesnt wish this curse would keep going, he said.---This version corrects to NL pennant instead of AL pennant in the seventh paragraph. ' ' '