Andy Murray two wins from No 1 spot as Novak Djokovic loses

Novak Djokovic handed Andy Murray a golden opportunity to take over as world No 1 after crashing out of the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris on Friday.

Andy Murray is two wins away from being world No 1. Picture: Christophe Ena/AP

Djokovic was beaten 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) by Marin Cilic in their quarter-final, meaning the Scot will top the rankings for the first time in his career if he reaches the final in Paris.

Murray is due to face Tomas Berdych in the last eight later on Friday knowing he stands two wins away from ending Djokovic’s reign of 122 consecutive weeks.

Djokovic’s winning streak at the Paris tournament had stretched back to 2013 but he had looked less than convincing in a three-set win over Grigor Dimitrov on Thursday.

Novak Djokovic lost in the Paris quarter-finals to Croatia's Marin Cilic. Picture: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

And Cilic, who earlier this week confirmed his place at the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals, seized his second set-point chance in the opener to take the initiative.

Cilic missed two break-point chances for a 2-0 lead in the second set and looked like he could rue his missed opportunity when Djokovic broke to serve for it at 5-4.

But the Serbian produced two double faults as he allowed Cilic to break back, before moving to the brink of defeat again when Cilic fashioned two match points at 6-5.

Djokovic saved both of them as he forced a tie-break, but the Croatian was in no mood to let his chance slip again as he cruised through the breaker.

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