Sky Bet are giving Andy Murray a 5/1 chance of ending the year as world No 1 as the Scot looks to close in on the injured Novak Djokovic.
Murray was left trailing Djokokvic by 4,695 points after failing to make the semi-finals at the US Open, but is still given a chance of making up the ground due to the number of points that Djokovic, who won the final five events of 2015, will be defending in the final stretch.
Indeed, Murray is actually just 2,055 points behind in the singles race, which ranks players on their yearly performances rather than the last 12 months.
He __can reduce that lead by another 500 points by claiming the title in Beijing this week, with the six-time champion still rehabilitating following an elbow injury.
Murray has reasserted his target of claiming the top spot this week, suggesting his motivation is greater than his rival's.
"I've never been there and it's something I would like to do for the first time, which is maybe more of a motivation for me than some of the guys that have been there before," Murray said.
Murray sweeps aside Seppi
Andy Murray starts China Open by beating Andreas Seppi
While it feels like an opportunity to strike, the task of toppling Djokovic looks as difficult as ever if full fitness is regained for the conclusion of the Masters series.
Djokovic holds a greater stranglehold over the end of the year than any other portion, having won three of the last four in Shanghai and Paris, and he is on course for an unprecedented fifth consecutive World Tour Finals title.
Murray, in contrast, has all too often struggled to continue to be competitive on the final stretch, failing to win in Shanghai since 2011 while lacking a single title from his previous trips to Bercy and the O2 Arena.
However, the Scot has proved an adaptable force in 2016, enjoying easily his best campaign on clay, including a first French Open final appearance on the back on beating Djokovic to the Rome Masters crown.
Assuming Djokovic does return to 100 per cent, the greatest challenge will come when the pair renew their rivalry and Murray's chances hinge on improving a head-to-head record of 10-24, including just two wins from their last 15 meetings.
In the meantime, Murray must focus on avoiding upsets, starting with Wednesday's second-round clash with Andrey Kuznetsov at the China Open.
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