Three years ago in New York, where Andy Murray was defending the first of his three grand slam titles, the Association of Tennis Professionals organised a gala dinner for the 25 players who had topped their rankings since 1973. Murray was not among them.

Now, after reaching the final of the Paris Masters thanks to the withdrawal through injury of Milos Raonic here on Saturday that secured him the 235 points he needed to pass Novak Djokovic as world No1, he is moving in their exalted company. He has arrived later than anyone since John Newcombe, who was 30 when the ATP computer acknowledged him as the best player in the world in 1974. His is a triumph for perseverance and longevity.

But where does he stand alongside the 25 and among world champions across a range of sports from these islands? While Newcombe’s era was strong, and other players enjoyed long reigns at the top, Murray is operating on an altogether different plane, having had to compete against three players many good judges regard as the finest in the history of tennis: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.

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Certainly it is fair to put him behind that extraordinary trinity. As for domestic judgment, not even Lennox Lewis’s rise to world heavyweight champion in the fading days of Mike Tyson’s time matches Murray’s achievement as a British champion on the international stage. A closer comparison in an individual sport might be Nick Faldo, who was No1 in golf for 97 weeks and won six majors.

Although Jessica Ennis-Hill, Mo Farah and Jonny Wilkinson demand consideration as well, there are sound reasons to regard Murray as the best athlete this country has produced in the past decade, and he stands comparison with many of the heroes of the past, from Jack Hobbs to Bobby Charlton to Steve Redgrave – comparisons that are as tricky to justify as they are controversial. Regardless, Murray deserves our universal acclaim.

And there is a certain synchronicity about the elevation of the iron‑tough Scot to the top of the podium at the very time when his rivals are faltering, a survivor cashing in on the sort of commitment that few of his predecessors and not that many of his contemporaries would regard as normal – with his coach, Ivan Lendl, a notable exception as a pioneer of hard work.

A few others have followed his lead. Djokovic, too, is a model of dedication, on and off the court. Nothing is certain in sport but, at 29 and with at least three or four years left to build on his legacy, this could be Murray’s time. Federer is 35, has not won a major since 2012 and recently joined the faltering 30-year-old Nadal on the injured list long before the conclusion of the season. They are, sadly for them and their millions of fans, nearing the end.

And what of Djokovic? There have been worrying signs for the Serb this week and in recent months that his long period of dominance is under siege. He clearly has not shaken off the injuries that blighted his run since he beat Murray to win the French Open and complete a career grand slam, and he was not himself in Paris this past week. There was hesitancy in his voice, rare self-doubt about his form and his immediate future. It is likely he will soon part company with Boris Becker, and it is uncertain if he will regain full fitness in time for the Australian Open in January. This is not the Djokovic that spread dread in the locker room even six months ago.

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How times have changed for him. Djokovic said that night three years ago in New York: “I know how much effort it takes and how many people around the world compete for that place. Being the No1 is the pinnacle of all the ambitions of every player. This is the dream.”

Where does Murray fit in this dream scenario? I would rank him above the following No1 players of the past, and reckon he would beat them more often than not: Pat Rafter (who reigned for just one week), Carlos Moya (2), Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Marcelo Rios and Thomas Muster (all 6), Juan Carlos Ferrero and John Newcombe (8), Marat Safin (9), Andy Roddick (13), Ilie Nastase (40), Gustavo Kuerten (43) and Lleyton Hewitt (80).

He would have a harder time of it, perhaps, against Boris Becker (12) and Mats Wilander (20), but those would be close matches. Then would come more demanding challenges against Jim Courier (58) and Stefan Edberg (72).

After that Murray enters the stratosphere occupied by his hero Andre Agassi (101), Bjorn Borg (109), Nadal (141), John McEnroe (170), Djokovic (223), Jimmy Connors (268), Lendl (270), Pete Sampras (286) and Federer (302).

Let the debate begin.