CELEBRATING the best season of his career, Andy Murray cemented his rise to No. 1 by beating John Isner 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-4 Sunday to win the Paris Masters for the first time.

    It was his eighth title this year, his 14th in Masters overall. It also ended Isner’s bid for a first Masters title.

    “I felt really nervous before the match,” Murray said, despite having beaten the big-serving American in all seven of their previous career meetings.

    Murray officially replaced Novak Djokovic at the top of the rankings when they were published yesterday.

    “It might only be for one week. So, I might as well try and enjoy it,” Murray said. “Because I could lose it at the (ATP) Tour Finals and never be there again.”

    The 29-year-old Murray is still getting accustomed to his newfound status.

    “I don’t really know if it’s sunk in or not,” said Murray, who is a three-time Grand Slam winner and a double Olympic champion. “It feels different (to) when I had won a Grand Slam or (the) Olympics.”

    Especially in the number of congratulatory messages.

    “More than I’ve had after any match I have played in my life,” Murray said. “It’s very nice, because you have won the respect of the players.”

    Murray recently beat Isner 6-1, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, but this was thoroughly contested.

    “We played last week and the difference was huge,” Murray said.

    Using 18 aces and hitting plenty of inside-out winners on his massive forehand, Isner generated considerable pressure.

    But he also wasted six break points overall.

    Murray has won four consecutive tournaments, taking his career tally to 43.

    Next up is the season-ending ATP finals in London, beginning next Sunday.

    (SD-Agencies)