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Given the long and grueling march Andy Murray endured to finally get to the summit of mens tennis, it seems like sweet justice that the 29-year-old Scot now gets to enjoy sitting atop the world rankings for a few weeks longer. His rout of longtime nemesis Novak Djokovic on Sunday in the year-ending ATP World Finals ensured that Murray will have top ranking until at least the beginning of 2017.Murray has rarely accomplished anything great quickly. Its just not his M.O. But his careerlong habit of stubbornly persevering, come what may, is precisely what lifted and distinguished him in a mens tennis year that became a war of attrition by the end of 2016.First, Roger Federer fell out, injured. Then Rafael Nadal, too. After finally winning the French Open for the first time and holding all four Slam titles at once, Djokovic abruptly hit a wall that seemed more mental than physical. Djokovics results the past five months of his year, starting with his third-round flameout at Wimbledon, featured a series of upsets and occasional tantrums on the court that left him looking like a man sapped of self-belief by Sundays straight-sets loss to Murray.But it would be too easy (and unfair) to say Murray simply feasted on other peoples absences or mistakes on his way to becoming the oldest first-time No. 1 since Australias John Newcombe earned the top spot at the age of 30 in 1974. Murray is better than that.Murray is a three-time major champion, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a Davis Cup champ. He plays some of the best defense in the game, returns magnificently and runs down balls others dont bother to chase. The conviction it took him to physically build himself up from a string bean kid from Scotland who had some promise into an indefatigable athlete who can handle the kind of workloads he routinely endures at major events is a talent. The same goes for his ability to remain resolute as he tried and tried to crash the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic stranglehold on the top and finally succeeded, ending all that dismissive talk that the Big Four was really the Big Three-and-a-Half.A lesser competitor wouldve said the hell with it a long time ago.So it was a little odd Sunday to hear Murray say, I never, ever imagined [No. 1] was possible after he defeated Djokovic before a raucous crowd that cheered the Scot on and on at Londons O2 Arena.His disclaimer is hard to believe.Murray has not only navigated an era in which the three champions in front of him hoarded 43 Grand Slam titles (Federer, 17; Nadal, 14; Djokovic, 12). He also had to carry the hopes of tennis-mad Britain on his shoulders. And at times, never more so than at Wimbledon, it was hard to know whose hovering presence was more of a burden for Murray: the ghost of 1930s champion Fred Perry, the last British man to win the All-England Club title before Murray, or poor star-crossed Tim Henman, who came tantalizingly close to winning Wimbledon between 1998 and 2002 but never did.Last week, Murray even heard -- unfairly -- that there was an asterisk next to his year-closing rush to No. 1 because he hadnt beaten a top-five player between the US Open in September and ATP Finals week. And he was right to parry back, telling reporters, I can only beat the people in front of me. And I did that this week.He sandwiched career-best winning streaks of 22 and now 24 matches (and counting) around his grouchy quarterfinal loss to Kei Nishikori at the US Open. Murray finished the year with a tour-best nine titles.His June reunion with Ivan Lendl as his coach has the same transformative effect on him that their work together the first time around did. Lendl demands that Murray play with a calm that even Murray wasnt sure he could achieve.Looking forward now, Murrays ability to hang onto the No. 1 ranking sets up a fascinating dynamic for 2017. It should be one of the most interesting mens tennis seasons in years because of the uncertainty, the sentimentality in play and new faces involved.Remember, Murray wasnt the only player rising in 2016 while Federer, Nadal and Djokovic slid backward or tried to stay in the top 10. Stan Wawrinka, who beat Djokovic for the US Open title, affirmed his stature as the most dangerous floater in every Grand Slam draw.All of this was new: Milos Raonic finally showed signs of becoming a big-tournament threat, not just a big server. Argentinas Juan Martin del Potro gave fans hope that his long-running wrist problems might finally go away long enough to let him contend for majors again.Nishikori continued to run down balls and wins like the second coming of Lleyton Hewitt, and Marin Cilic remains capable of giant-killing tears, too. Dominic Thiem, the most successful of the #nextgen players the ATP is pushing, finished ranked No. 10 but was playing on fumes by August. Hopefully, he learned a lot this year about overscheduling himself.If Australian bad boy Nick Kyrgios comes back from his suspension and fines for tanking an autumn match in China with his head finally screwed on straight -- a big if -- and countryman Bernard Tomic tones down his antics, too, Murray wont be the only one troubling Federer and Nadal as they try to prove once again their days as major title contenders arent over. Even 19-year-old Alexander Zverev, the youngest player in the top 50, has the talent to break through like Thiem did this year.But all of them have to pursue Murray now. And Murray has proved he will not be easy to catch or tire of the race.He was only 22 the first time he got to No. 2 in the world.It took him seven years and 82 days to take this last step up to No. 1. Murrays title win in Paris two weeks ago ended Djokovics 122-week run at the top. Sundays win was only Murrays 11th against Djokovic in 35 career showdowns.Djokovic, who is also 29, has still not elaborated on the personal problems that he said weighed on him this fall. But he will have time to mend now, same as Federer and Nadal have.All of them should return refreshed and ready when the tuneups for the Australian Open arrive in January.But Andy Murray, so long the tortoise among the hares, finally has everyone pursuing him for a change.Sunday, he shook his head when reminded of that.Pretty special, he said. Sean Doolittle Jersey . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. Frank Robinson Jersey https://www.cheapnationals.com/857r-kyle-mcgowin-jersey-nationals.html . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Ivan Rodriguez Nationals Jersey .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. Ryan Zimmerman Jersey . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL.Sky Sports will show Premier League champions Leicester City exclusively live against Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Celtic in the International Champions Cup this summer. Adding to an unmissable summer schedule of live sport, Sky Sports will show up to 17 matches exclusively live from the three-week tournament in July and August, including the champions of England, Spain, Germany, Scotland, Italy and France. As well as Leicester City, the schedule includes live coverage of Pep Guardiolas Manchester City, plus Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Celtic and Paris Saint-Germain from venues around the world. Pep Guardiolas Manchester City will be in action in the ICC Sky Sports will also show highlights of five matches involving Manchester United and Antonio Contes Chelsea.Sky Sports head of football Gary Hughes said: After an incredible football season that no one will ever forget, it wont be long until Sky Sports viewers can see some of Europes best teams and players, including Premier League champions Leicester City, back in action.The International Champions Cup adds to a fantastic summer of sport on Sky Sports and we cant wait. Sky Sports will show the International Champions Cup live this summer The International Champions Cup strengthens an unmissable summer of sport on Sky including exclusively live coverage of The Open for the first time in July.Sky Sports viewers can enjoy live England Test cricket against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, every racce from Formula 1 including Monaco and Silverstone, and Englands rugby tour of Australia.ddddddddddddIn August, there will be 126 live Premier League games, with more top picks and Friday night matches for the first time, 127 Football League games. In Scotland, the SPFL sees the return of the Old Firm with every fixture exclusively live on Sky Sports and more than 300 live games from Spains La Liga.Sky Sports International Champions Cup coverage:Manchester United v Borussia Dortmund - Highlights - Fri Jul 22Melbourne Victory v Juventus - Live - Sat Jul 23Celtic v Leicester City - Live - Sat Jul 23Inter Milan v Paris Saint-Germain - Live - Sun Jul 24Manchester City v Manchester United - Highlights - Mon Jul 25Juventus v Tottenham Hotspur - Live - Tue Jul 26Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain - Live - Wed Jul 27Bayern Munich v AC Milan - Live - Wed Jul 27Chelsea v Liverpool - Highlights - Wed Jul 27Borussia Dortmund v Manchester City - Live -Thu Jul 28Tottenham Hotspur v Atletico Madrid - Live - Fri Jul 29Celtic v Barcelona - Live - Sat Jul 30Real Madrid v Chelsea - Highlights - Sat Jul 30Inter Milan v Bayern Munich - Live - Sat Jul 30Liverpool v AC Milan - Live - Sat Jul 30Paris Saint-Germain v Leicester City - Live - Sat Jul 30Barcelona v Leicester City - Live - Wed Aug 3Bayern Munich v Real Madrid - Live - Wed Aug 3AC Milan v Chelsea - Highlights - Wed Aug 3Liverpool v Barcelona - Live - Sat Aug 6Inter Milan v Celtic - Live - Sat Aug 13Additional Matches - Non International Champions CupJuventus v South China Club - Live - Sat Jul 30Atletico Madrid v Melbourne Victory - Live - Sun Jul 31Liverpool v AS Roma - Highlights - Mon Aug 1Real Madrid v AS Roma - Live - Sat Aug 6*(Real Madrid v AS Roma only takes place if Real Madrid do not win Champions League) Also See: Live on Sky Table Premier League video Fixtures ' ' '