PARIS -- By the end of the week, Andy Murray could become the top-ranked player in the world for the first time in his career.Ever since he first reached No. 2 in the tennis rankings seven years ago, the 29-year-old Murray has been trying to catch the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. The No. 1 ranking is finally within touching distance, and he will replace Djokovic at the top if he wins the Paris Masters and Djokovic fails to reach the final.Murray is trying not to think about it too much.Its not in my control ... Even if I win all of my matches this week, I still might not get there, Murray said Monday. Its in Novaks hands.I dont feel any differently now to how I did six, eight weeks ago. My goal wasnt to finish No. 1 at the end of this year, Murray said. There (was) a lot stronger chance of doing it in the early part of next year, which is what I (had) targeted -- rather than this week.Murray and Djokovic both have won seven titles this season -- a career-best for Murray.If he does reach the top, Murray would become the oldest first-time No. 1 since John Newcombe achieved it at the age of 30 in June 1974.I do deserve to be there, Murray said. (The) last four or five months I have played the best of my career.Murray, who lost to Djokovic in last years Paris Masters final, faces Fernando Verdasco in the second round. He leads the Spaniard 11-1 overall.Murray won the Erste Bank Open in Vienna on Sunday for his third straight tournament win while Djokovics stellar form has dipped since winning the French Open for the first time in June.The top-ranked Serb lost in the third round at Wimbledon to Sam Querrey and in the first round of the Olympics to Juan Martin del Potro.After that, Stan Wawrinka rallied to beat Djokovic in the U.S. Open final, and two weeks ago Djokovic lost in the Shanghai Masters semifinals to Spanish player Roberto Bautista Agut.Wimbledon was obviously a bit of a surprise, Murray said. Maybe one or two losses you wouldnt expect.But Murray smiled when viewing Djokovics slump from a different perspective.Hes been in the final in New York, won (the Rogers Cup) and (reached) the semis of Shanghai, he said. Hes doing all right.Wawrinka, who lost to Djokovic in the Paris Masters semifinals last year, is excited about the ongoing fight for No. 1.Im looking forward to see whats going to be the result of Andy and Novak here, and in London (at the ATP finals), Wawrinka said. Novak just lost three matches in three tournaments. People talk. But for the rest, he always won.Elsewhere, Pablo Carreno Busta enjoyed a 6-3, 6-1 victory against Fabio Fognini, who made 33 unforced errors, and will play fourth seed Milos Raonic next.Joao Sousa will face seventh seed Tomas Berdych after he ground out a 6-4, 6-4 win against qualifier Andreas Seppi while Steve Johnson will play 12th seed Richard Gasquet following a 6-4, 7-5 victory against Guido Pella.Stan Wawrinka, the third seed, will face Jan-Lennard Struff in the second round. Struff thrashed qualifier Illya Marchenko 6-1, 6-1.Frances Benoit Paire was beaten 6-4, 7-6(4) by Paolo Lorenzi, who will play 16th seed Pablo Cuevas next. Marcos Baghdatis saw off Paul-Henry Mathieu 6-2, 6-4 to set up a meeting with Grigor Dimitrov.In Mondays evening session, Gilles Simon rallied to beat qualifier Julien Benneteau 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, and will play 10th seed Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round.Albert Ramos-Vinolas beat wild card Stephane Robert 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.ESPN Staff contributed to this report.Air Force 1 Hvit Norge . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable. Air Force 1 Svart Norge . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. http://www.airforce1norge.com/air-force-1-herre-norge.html . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. Air Force 1 07 Norge . Thats not a comment on the suspension that banished the Portland Winterhawks general manager and coach from his Western Hockey League teams bench for most of the 2012-13 season. Nike Roshe One Norge . Michell Burger, a woman who lives on an estate next to Pistorius gated community, said she and her husband were awoken by the screams in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14 last year, when Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp by shooting four times through a door in his bathroom.STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- After a loss, so much seems wrong with Ohio State. Even though very little has changed.The passing game has all kinds of problems, from poor protection to lack of separation by the receivers. Ohio States most explosive player touched the ball only 10 times against Penn State. And the special teams came completely undone in that 24-21 loss Saturday night.The Buckeyes (6-1, 3-1) slipped four spots to No. 6 in the AP Top 25 on Sunday and now have to worry about getting involved with a tiebreaker with the Nittany Lions just to win the Big Ten East.Coach Urban Meyer fell back on a most common coaching clich? after the Buckeyes let one slip away in Happy Valley: Well, every goal is still alive.True. If Ohio State wins all its games, starting Saturday at home against Northwestern and beating No. 2 Michigan along the way to a Big Ten championship, the Buckeyes are a good bet to reach the College Football Playoff.Were just not a great team right now, Meyer added.Also true.Ohio State has things to fix, but if an autopsy was performed on the Buckeyes first loss of the season, it would reveal the most classic of upsets: The better team lost because it made crucial mistakes and allowed its opponent to hang around long enough to steal one.The Buckeyes outgained Penn State 413-276 and held the ball for almost 15 more minutes. Ohio State went up 21-7 in the third quarter after Curtis Samuel ripped off a 74-yard touchdown run on one of those 10 touches, and then Penn State gave up a safety on a high punt snap that landed in the end zone.A few minutes later Ohio State had a second-and-5 at the Penn State 40. The Buckeyes were set to deliver a decisive blow. Instead a sack mucked up that drive and Ohio State punted from the Penn State 38.No harm. Ohio State forced a three-and-out and again had good field position, starting at its 40. Another drive reached Penn State territory and another sack stalled it. The Buckeyes alllowed six sacks after allowing only five in the first six games.ddddddddddddWe just didnt get our jobs done up front, senior center Pat Elflein said.Even after Penn State scored to cut the lead to 21-14 early in the fourth quarter it seemed like Ohio State was going to be able to grind out a victory, leaning on its defense on a windy and damp night.Far from a thing of beauty. But after beating Wisconsin in overtime last week, a second straight win in a hostile environment would have been something for the Buckeyes to feel pretty good about.Then the special teams fell apart. Penn State blocked a punt in Ohio State territory and turned it into a field goal, and then blocked a 47-yard field goal attempt by Tyler Durbin that Grant Haley returned 60 yards for a score.Ohio State got the ball back with plenty of time to mount a decisive drive, but two more sacks ended it before it could ever turn into a threat.Penn States white out turned into a wipeout of Ohio State -- and the Buckeyes had been favored by about 20 points.(Barrett) was under pressure all night when he threw it and we didnt lead him off the ball in the run game, Meyer said.Samuel, who is 11th in the nation in yards from scrimmage per game (142.6) and averages 9.9 per touch, finished with eight catches and two rushes.We probably should have gotten it to him more, Meyer said.Two years ago the Buckeyes lost in September at home to unranked Virginia Tech and went on to win the national championship. Most of the main contributors from that team are gone, but those that were key parts such as Barrett, Elflein and linebacker Raekwon McMillian had a message to the rest after the loss.A lot of guys have been through it, McMillan said. We just have to come back next week and get the job done.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '