Andy Murray will resist repeating the late-night celebrations which England football captain Wayne Rooney engaged in when claiming the year-end world number one title after winning the ATP World Tour Finals. The Briton overcame Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-4 in London to bring the curtain down on a stellar season for the 29-year-old.
Victory was Murrays 25th in a row as he scooped his fifth consecutive title, a run which has helped him end the season atop of the mens rankings. Despite his gruelling schedule, which included spending three-and-a-half hours longer than Djokovic on court in the run up to the final, Murray dominated the Serbian in a one-sided contest.
Murray will take some time away from the court before embarking on preparation for 2017 at his annual pre-season training camp in Miami.
But to mark a year during which he has won nine titles and his wife Kim has given birth to their first child, the two-time Olympic champion is not planning any significant festivities.
No party tonight, he told reporters. I think well go out for dinner tomorrow night. I havent been home for the last few nights. Ive been staying in the hotel. So were going to go home. But I think tomorrow with the team, well definitely go out for dinner, then see afterwards what happens.
Manchester United forward Rooney was forced to apologise last week after being photographed drinking at a wedding until 5am following Englands World Cup qualifying victory over Scotland at Wembley.
The 30-year-old has been heavily criticised for his behaviour, which occurred just hours before he was due to report for training ahead of the friendly with Spain - which he withdrew from due to a knee injury.
As for Murray, he will start next season - which begins in earnest with the Australian Open in Melbourne - as world number one for the first time, a status he will be unwilling to give up lightly. I would like to try and stay there, obviously, he added.
Its taken a huge effort the last five, six months to get there. I would obviously like to stay there. Im aware thats going to be extremely difficult because I had a great year this year. I only managed to do it by one match.
To repeat that again next year is going to be extremely difficult. But now that Ive got there, I obviously would be motivated to try and stay in that position. But yeah, I mean, the majors are what gets me working hard and what really, really motivates me.
When I go away in December to train, Im training with the Australian Open in mind. Because of the best-of-five-set matches, theyre the ones you have to really put in the extra work for and the extra training for. Thats what motivates me.
