ANDY Murray likes his boxing so perhaps it is appropriate this morning that he can call himself the undisputed champion of planet tennis. Prior to last night, his detractors pointed out that his new found status as the best player in the sport had come without having to cross swords once with his heavyweight rival Novak Djokovic, but all such doubts were banished in the sweetest way possible as the Scot delivered the knockout blow at the o2 last night.

Rather than hand his hard-earned status tamely back to the Serb after just a fortnight, this majestic 6-3, 6-4 victory means that Andy, like his brother Jamie in the doubles lists, will top the charts at Christmas. A bit like that old line about the standings at the end of the football season, the year-end tennis rankings don't lie and January's Australian Open will be the first time he has ever entered a Grand Slam as the top seed. Just for good measure the Scot will also start 2017 on the back in the midst of a five-tournament, 24-match, longest-ever, winning streak.

No Grand Slam title was up for grabs last night, just two trophies, the best part of a million quid, huge amounts of personal prestige and a slice of singular tennis history. This was the first time ever that the top-ranked spot in the world rankings had come down to the very last tour match of the season, and the top two men battling it out mano a mano. This was a bit like the Super Bowl, the World Series and a heavyweight world title fight all in one.

Greenwich would never have been meaner had Murray been forced to turn the clocks back a fortnight and wake up again this morning as World No 2. While Djokovic had led a charmed life throughout this tournament, locating a soft group and marching mercilessly through it, Murray had been forced to go above and beyond, twice setting new records for three set matches in this event.

His matches with Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic alone had lasted the best part of seven hours combined. This was the Scot's 87th match of the season, more than any previous campaign of his life, and he had been on court for a combined 50 hours longer than his opponent during 2016. While Djokovic had won 22 of his last 23 matches here, and claimed year-end No 1 honours five times previously, this was Murray's first final at this event.

Born within a week of each other back in May 1987, a thorough viewing of this pair's combined back catalogue also favoured Djokovic. It was he who had claimed 24 of the pair's 34 previous meetings, even if the Scot's record didn't look quite so bad when you consider that he had won seven of their 17 previous finals. It was the Serb who had been on the other side of the net as Murray took major steps forward in his career at the 2012 US Open, the Serb again who was vanquished when he won Wimbledon in 2013.

At stages last night, this match had echoes of both, as the Scot patiently waited for Djokovic mistakes to materialise and tried to ignore the bedlam to get over the line. Yet, in terms of the import it could have to both players' careers, it might just be his biggest win yet.

In any case, it was hardly Murray's fault that they hadn't met since Djokovic's win in the French Open back in June. The Serb, whose year has unravelled by his usual imperious standards since completing the clean sweep of titles on the clay of Roland Garros, has admitted that certain undisclosed 'private issues' had used up some of his energy. Much intrigue has focused upon his wife Jelena and new spiritual guru Pepe Imaz, both of whom sat in his players' box courtside, strangely illuminated by a spotlight.

Considering the Scot's body at stages against Nishikori and Raonic appeared to be decidedly unco-operative, he appeared fresh when he made his ring walk last night. He is a devoted dad who had nonetheless wisely decided to stay in a London hotel rather than risk being woken early by his eight-month old daughter Sophia. While a couple of early Murray double faults ratcheted the tension up, it helped that the points were being kept short. For once, it was he who had the greater match sharpness and he who was executing the big points better.

Whilst Murray couldn't capitalise on his first two break points on the Djokovic serve at 2-3, the Serb was failing to make the kind of shots he would normally perform with his eyes closed. Two straightforward volleyed putaways at the net went wildly out of the court, to oohs and aahs from the crowd.

The pressure eventually told as Djokovic served at 3-4, a sweet flat Murray forehand out wide to a wickedly spinning ball doing the damage. The Scot was remaining patient in the rallies, and with the Serb's backhand usually obliging with the crucial error, the set was soon his.

Ivan Lendl went for a toilet break between sets but there was no shift in the Scot's focus. Four break points materialised in the very first game of the set, and Murray eventually capitalised. Just like it had in that taut final set at Flushing Meadows in 2012, it helped that the double break arrived soon afterwards. While one of them went immediately as Djokovic belatedly raised his level, it was too little too late.

The Scot's third championship point did the trick, as a Djokovic return from a Murray second serve flew long. He looked to the rafters in disbelief, congratulated his opponent at the net then shared the moment with his wife Kim and team. The silverware was received amid a shower of confetti. This had been billed as a Game of Thrones, with Djokovic looking to reclaim his anointed place at the summit of the sport. But the Scot intends to keep sitting pretty for a while yet.