Andy Murray stands one win from being crowned world No.1 for the first time after a straight-sets victory over Tomas Berdych at the Paris Masters.
The 29-year-old Murray is set to become the second-oldest player to debut at No.1 behind Australian great John Newcombe, who achieved the feat aged 30 in June, 1974.
He faces a semi-final against Milos Raonic, who eliminated London contender Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2 7-6 (7-4).
Murray saved seven points in an extraordinary second set tie-break before eventually going on to overcome the Czech 7-6 (11-9) 7-5 and book his place in the semi-finals.
The Scot will now look to handle the added pressure surrounding his semi-final.
"Getting it this week, that would be great, but that wasn't my goal at the start of the week. It wasn't my goal two or three weeks ago," Murray said.
"This is a long-term thing. It's not about one match. It's about a whole season that you put together and 12 months of work."
Victory on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) will be enough to lift Murray to the summit after current rankings leader Novak Djokovic suffered a shock straight-sets loss to Marin Cilic.
Djokovic was far from his best on super-fast carpet and was beaten 6-4 7-6 (2), his first loss against the former US Open champion in 15 clashes.
"I wasn't on the level that I could have been on," Djokovic said.
"I was also, in this kind of circumstances and with this level of play, in a good position to take the match into the third set, and then two double faults.
"Just in important moments I wasn't able to deliver. He is a deserved winner."
If he wins the title, Murray, who has spent 76 weeks at No. 2, will become the 26th player to reach No.1 since the rankings started in 1973.
Meanwhile, Raonic produced a powerful performance to beat Tsonga, a result which ends the Frenchman's slim hopes of qualifying for the season-ending ATP Tour Championships.
Cilic will face John Isner in the last four after the big-serving American beat compatriot Jack Sock 7-6 (8-6) 4-6 6-4.
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