Its the opposite day script nobody expected.The much anticipated battle between Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber for the prestigious year-end No. 1 ranking in the WTA isnt going to happen now that Williams has withdrawn from the WTA Finals.Instead, fans and pundits who assumed No. 1 Novak Djokovic had shut down competition for the ATPs top ranking are now relishing a potential November shootout for all the marbles between Djokovic and No. 2 Andy Murray, something that nobody could have predicted.After all, Djokovic had a nearly 9,000-point rankings lead over Murray (thats nine Masters 1000 titles worth of points) as recently as April. In fact, just weeks ago Murray still trailed Djokovic by some 4,500 points. The gap is now down to 2,145, and Djokovic is maxed out for the season -- and can potentially lose points -- because of how the rankings are calculated.Now Murray, whos been on fire while Djokovic has been smoldering, has a realistic shot at dragging Djokovic off his perch. The 29-year old Scot is, by his own admission, playing the best tennis of his life. Hes reunited with the coach who helped transform him from major also-ran into Grand Slam champion. After a fallow period (11 majors without a title), Murray has re-established himself as a champion with wins this year at Wimbledon and the Olympics.As?Roberto Bautista Agut, who upset Djokovic in the Shanghai semifinals and then lost the title match to Murray on Sunday, said: Andy is doing everything to get Novak. I can see it in his eyes. Hes really focused on getting No. 1.As determined and confident as he is, Murray has tried to tamp down expectations as the tour heads indoors, hurtling toward the grand finale, the ATP World Tour Championships in London next month. Murray said about Djokovic in Shanghai, He is the best player in the world. I dont think he has lost an indoor [match] in a long time.Thats quite an endorsement of Djokovic. But it may refer to a different man than the one who hasnt won a title since the Montreal Masters 1000 in July.The last three months were up and down a little bit with oscillations, but generally I didnt find that kind of satisfaction on the court, Djokovic told the media before the start of Shanghai. I do really feel like Im already getting better because I changed my mindset. ... I think Im a different person than I was maybe three months ago, maybe six months ago.Different, but maybe not in a good way when it comes to winning tennis matches and titles.Its understandable that some air went out of Djokovics balloon after he completed his career Grand Slam with a French Open title in June. At that point, people were seriously talking about the first male pros calendar-year Grand Slam since Rod Laver accomplished that in 1968. Now theyre wondering if this new, more philosophically prone Djokovic isnt ready to shave his head, don robes and run off to some commune.The worm turned at the conspicuous point of Wimbledon, just weeks after Djokovic won in Paris. He was distracted and ultimately upset in his third-round match with Sam Querrey. When Djokovic returned to defend his US Open title, he explained: We all have private issues and things that are more challenges than issues, more things that we have to encounter and overcome in order to evolve as a human being.Unfortunately for Djokovic, he just might be evolving himself out of the No. 1 ranking.The owner of 12 Grand Slam titles, Djokovic is talking like a man who may have had his fill. After sending off Fabio Fognini in the first round at Shanghai, he told the media: When I get on the court, of course I want to give my best and eventually try to win the match. But not as a priority of must-win type of mindset, because that is not working for me anymore.Must-win may not be working for Djokovic at some ethereal level. But the tantrums Djokovic threw in Shanghai during his loss to Agut demonstrated that some aspect of his character isnt fully reconciled with this new sensibility hes been touting. Could that aspect be the one thats been his meal ticket all along, his nature as a competitor, a warrior?Theres no doubt that Murray and his gimlet-eyed coach Ivan Lendl have been watching Djokovics evolution almost as closely as Djokovic himself. They surely sense opportunity. Murray, a plodding rationalist who eschews New Age-y rhetoric, has been beaten by Djokovic in the Australian Open final four times (including three of the last four years). Could Murray have a more satisfying and validating win at this point in his career than a triumph over Djokovic for the title in Melbourne next January?Murray might have been fantasizing about the near future as much as soberly evaluating his progress and goals when he declared in Shanghai, My goal wasnt to finish No. 1 at the end of this year, but in the early parts of next year there is an opportunity.Djokovic may have to be yet a different person to handle that challenge, because while Murray is the same-old person weve known, he certainly seems like a different player. And that may be more relevant to the enterprise at hand.Miro Heiskanen Jersey . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Jamie Benn Stars Jersey . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/martin-hanzal-hockey-jersey/ . Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Stephen Johns Jersey .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. Custom Dallas Stars Jerseys . Burris threw two TD passes, including a key 15-yard fourth-quarter strike to Bakari Grant that effectively countered a Toronto comeback bid and led Hamilton to a 33-19 victory.Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has emphasised the need for his batsmen to give his bowlers a chance on the tour of South Africa by getting runs in tough conditions. Mathews said the team had been batting on granite to try and get used to extra bounce ahead of the three-Test series beginning on December 26.With Dushmantha Chameera coming back into the team and young Vikum Sanjaya earning his spot, we have got a fairly decent pace attack which can put them under pressure, but we need to score runs as a batting unit, Mathews said ahead of the teams departure for South Africa. Its going to be our main challenge; the boys have worked extremely hard in the past few weeks.Part of that hard work was facing deliveries coming off granite surfaces to try and mimic the conditions in South Africa. The pace the boys are used to, its just the the bounce and the conditions that we need to get used to, Mathews said. We used a lot of granite stuff, especially the batters. When you use a piece of granite, the ball is coming on to you quicker. The granite is laid down on the pitch and you can throw the ball on it so that it comes on quicker.Weve done everything possible to try and counterattack the South African fast bowlers and get used to their conditions. We have about 12 days before we play our first Test on Boxing Day. Well try and use those days to the maximum so that we get things right.Mathews was aiming to break the predominant trend in modern-day cricket, where teams struggle to win away from home. Sri Lanka won a Test series 2-0 in Zimbabwe in October and November but South Africa, who won 2-1 in Australia recently, aare significantly tougher opponents.dddddddddddd When Sri Lanka last toured South Africa, in 2011-12, they lost the three-Test series 1-2.Most of the teams do well and win at home but struggle overseas. It happens to any team but we want to try and achieve some wins overseas and turn the tables, Mathews said. I am confident that my team can do it. We got a good combination where we have five fast bowlers, two experienced spinners and a solid batting order.Sri Lankas batting was boosted by the return of Mathews, who recovered from a leg injury, and Dinesh Chandimal, whose broken hand had healed. They will slot into the middle order along with Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva. Mathews hoped that his side would have stability, which he said was a reason for South Africas success.Except for one or two changes, they are pretty much a settled team for the past four-five years, Mathews said of South Africa. They have been going with the same sort of players, maximum 20. They have managed a set combination and now the results are showing. The settled combination is the one that has led to their success today.We are now doing the same, we talked about it a lot. The solution is not to chop and change but be patient with the players.Sri Lanka have a three-day warm-up game in Potchefstroom before the first Test in Port Elizabeth from December 26. The second Test is in Cape Town from January 2 and the third in Johannesburg from January 12, after which the teams play three T20Is and five ODIs. ' ' '