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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 Wholesale Baseball Gear . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Cheap Chicago White Sox Jerseys China . Wilson hit Schenn from behind during Tuesday nights game in Philadelphia, earning a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. He has a phone hearing with the department of player safety, which limits any potential suspension to five or fewer games. http://www.cheapbaseballchina.com/ . Datsyuk will miss Tuesdays game against New Jersey and could be sidelined longer, while Cleary will likely miss at least the next three games. Its been an injury-plagued season for Datsyuk, who has suited up for just 39 games. Cheap Chicago Cubs Jerseys China . -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Atlanta Braves Jerseys China . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. PITTSBURGH -- Drew Storen made a good first impression on his new team, pitching a 1-2-3 sixth. However, the next inning tainted the relievers debut with the Seattle Mariners.Storen was charged with four runs in 1 1/3 innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates put the game out of reach on their way to a 10-1 rout of the Mariners on Wednesday night.Gerrit Cole pitched a three-hitter and slumping Andrew McCutchen had a three-run home run to help Pittsburgh hand Seattle its third loss in eight games.Storen relieved James Paxton (3-5) to begin the sixth inning with the Mariners trailing 3-1 and got three ground-ball outs. However, he walked Starling Marte with the bases loaded in the seventh inning to force in a run and was lifted in favor of Nate Karns, who gave up a three-run double to Jung Ho Kang.Storen, the one-time Washington Nationals closer, has rarely been used for multiple innings in his career but did not use the length of his outing as an excuse.A couple innings didnt go my way and thats part of it but for me its about throwing the ball good and thats what I did, Storen said. Stats might not look good, but from a stuff standpoint and how I threw it, Im happy with it.Storen struggled with the Blue Jays after being acquired from the Nationals in an offseason trade, posting a career-worst 6.31 ERA in 38 games. Yet, Mariners manager Scott Servais was pleased with what he saw.Hes going to help us, no doubt, but I probably tried to extend him too much tonight, Servais said.Making the 88th start, Cole (6-6) struck six and walked one while winning for the first time since May 20. He had gone six starts without a victory while also spending nearly five weeks on the disabled list with strained right triceps from June 11-July 16.It was good, a really good feeling, Cole said. You try to do it every time out but its not something I had been dwelling on. There are lot of variables that can leak into any start and throw you astray, so you just focus on the things you can control like your delivery and making quality pitches.Cole threw 94 pitches, 70 for strikes, against a Mariners lineup stacked with seven left-handed hitters and a switch-hitter while becoming the first Pirates pitcher to complete a game with fewer than 100 pitches since Francisco Liriano, who also needed just 94 at St. Louis on Aug. 14, 2013.McCutchens three-run blast off David Rollins came in the eighth inning and capped the scoring. His 15th home run of the season pushed the nine-year veterans career total to 166, tying Dave Parker for fifth on the Pirates all-time list.McCutchen, wwho also doubled, had gone 4 for 29 with eight strikeouts in his previous seven games, dropping the 2013 NL MVPs batting average to .dddddddddddd241.Norichika Aoki hit a pair of doubles and scored the Mariners lone run in the sixth inning on Robinson Canos sacrifice fly.Paxton gave up three runs and six hits in five innings, striking out six and walking one.I didnt have my best stuff and my location wasnt really great, Paxton said. It was kind of a battle.McCutchen and Kang each had four RBI to help the Pirates win for the sixth time in nine games. Jordy Mercer also had three of the Pirates 14 hits and David Freese and Starling Marte added two each as the top four in the order went a combined 10 for 17.TRAINERS ROOMMariners: DH/OF Nelson Cruz was not in the lineup after fouling a ball off his left foot Tuesday night, though manager Scott Servais said he held the slugger out primarily because the designated hitter rule was not in effect in an NL park. ... RHP Taijuan Walker (right foot tendinitis) pitched a three-inning simulated game Wednesday, the first time he had faced hitters since going on the disabled list July 6, and will likely make a minor league rehab start this weekend. ... RHP Nick Vincent (mid-back strain), on the DL since June 27, will throw off a mound for the first time Friday since being injured and is likely to go on a rehab assignment next week.Pirates: RHP Tyler Glasnow (shoulder inflammation), who was placed on the disabled list Sunday, is expected to begin playing catch this weekend. ... C Chris Stewart (left knee discomfort) ran the bases Wednesday for the first since going on the DL on July 2 and could go on a rehab assignment by the middle of next week. ... RHP Ryan Vogelsong (facial fractures) made what was scheduled to be the last of two rehab starts for Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday night and allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings against Gwinett with one walk and two strikeouts in the International League. He also started twice for Double-A Altoona.UP NEXTMariners: Open a three-game series against the Cubs at Chicago on Friday with RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (11-6, 3.96 ERA) looking to win his sixth straight start as he faces LHP Jon Lester (10-4, 3.09).Pirates: Begin a three-game series Friday night at Milwaukee with LHP Steven Brault (0-1, 2.25) expected to be recalled from Indianapolis and make his second major league start, opposing Brewers RHP Junior Guerra (6-2, 2.85). ' ' '