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PARIS -- Novak Djokovic heads into the Paris Masters with his No. 1 ranking under serious threat from Andy Murray, and in the rare position of being second favorite.Djokovic is looking to win the tournament for the fourth straight year and fifth time overall. But he has been in erratic form over the past few months and is not playing with the confidence he showed here last year, when he crushed Murray 6-2, 6-4 in the final.On current form Murray has the edge, and the second-ranked Scot can overtake Djokovic if he wins and the Serb doesnt reach the final.Youve got to give him (Murray) credit for what hes done in the last three or four months, the second part of the year is quite incredible, Djokovic told reporters Sunday on the eve of the tournament. Hes playing maybe the best tennis hes ever played, very consistent, very strong. He definitely deserves to be in the position of being No. 1 at the end of the year. But that doesnt just depend on him.Djokovic guarantees to keep No. 1 if he reaches the final, and Murray is not overly optimistic of knocking him off his perch.Obviously he could win the event and, if I lose in the first round, then I am a long way from being No. 1, said Murray, who trails Djokovic 10-24 in career matches. Ive never won (the Paris Masters) before, so to just expect that youre going to win the tournament would be silly.Murray won the Erste Bank Open in Vienna on Sunday for his third straight tournament win and career-high seventh of the year.In some other years, a year like this would easily (have) been enough to be No. 1 in the world, Murray said. But I am obviously getting closer.Murray, who has a first-round bye, will start his tournament against Spaniard Fernando Verdasco or Dutchman Robin HaaseLike Murray, Djokovic also has seven titles this year, matching his tally from 2013 and 2014, but will fall short of the 11 he won in an utterly dominant 2015.The 29-year-old Djokovic owns a record 30 Masters titles. He is a 12-time Grand Slam champion and has won all four majors.But after winning the elusive French Open for the first time in June, his form evaporated.Winning the French Open brought a lot of joy to me, but on the other hand has taken away a lot from me, he said. I felt a little bit exhausted, I must say, and maybe less motivated. So I had to rediscover that feeling of being on the court and pushing myself.He lost in the third round at Wimbledon to American Sam Querrey and in the first round to Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina at the Olympic Games.Although Djokovic won the first set in the U.S. Open final, Stan Wawrinka rallied to beat him.At the Shanghai Masters two weeks ago, Djokovic lost 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals to Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, an opponent he had beaten in five previous meetings.The last couple of months were not easy, Djokovic said. Mentally I just had to redefine my goals, things that are happening on and off the court.Djokovic clearly needed to gather his thoughts.Its important to take time, he said. Really understand what the next step is going to be, professionally, privately.He feels much better now.I feel great and rejuvenated, very happy to be back in the city where I have wonderful memories, he said. It gives me a lot of emotions and butterflies in my stomach when I think about the last time I was here.Djokovic, who also won here in 2009, faces either Nicolas Almagro of Spain or Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in the second round.Milos Raonic, who also has a first-round bye, is still feeling the effects of ankle injury that forced him to withdraw ahead of his China Open semifinal three weeks ago.Its a partial tear, said the big-serving Canadian. Its still a little bit of an issue ... I tape it up to limit how much my ankle can move.---Associated Press writer Eric Willemsen in Vienna contributed to this report.Wholesale Shoes UK Free Shipping .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. Shoes UK Online Cheap . 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LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end.Sir Clive Woodward has backed Eddie Jones decision to criticise the Australian scrum, labelling it clever stuff.Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, the World Cup-winning coach said the scrum will now come under close scrutiny in the week leading up to Saturdays Test at Twickenham with Jones getting on the front-foot as he prepares to face the Wallabies for the fourth time this year.Woodwards comments come after Jones said he was hoping to meet referee Jaco Peyper ahead of Saturdays Test to address what he feels are technical issues with the Wallabies pack.?Eddie Jones is so lasered in on beating Australia that his post-match comments on Saturday almost immediately centred on the Wallabies rather than the match aggainst Argentina, Woodward wrote.ddddddddddddEddie was clearly keen to get on the front foot right at the start of the week -- in fact before the Aussies had even kicked off against Ireland -- and made a big issue of the Australian scrummaging technique.It will now come under close scrutiny this week, whether it is illegal or not. Clever stuff. Job done.With Billy Vunipola out for 12 weeks, Woodward backs Wasps Nathan Hughes to step in at No.8 against Australia and says it is surely too early to consider Jack Clifford for Test duty after he just completed his recovery from a 10-week layoff. ' ' '