Murray starts year in fine style

Eurosport - Sun, 04 Jan 18:40:00 2009

Britain's Andy Murray defeated world number one Rafael Nadal 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 in the final of the Abu Dhabi exhibition to score a crucial blow ahead of the Australian Open.

TENNIS; Andy Murray celebrates winning in Abu Dhabi, Jan 2009 - 0

The world number four had a double reason to celebrate his 2hr 43min win with this three-day event representing the first time he had beaten both Nadal and world number two Roger Federer in the same tournament.

Murray will get the chance to repeat his achievement when he joins Nadal and Federer at the Qatar Open in Doha from Monday, the opening week of the 2009 competitive season.

The Scotsman also picked up the winner-takes-all cheque of 250,000 dollars for his win over Nadal, the reigning French Open, Wimbledon and Olympic champion.

"It is a great start to the year. I worked very hard on my fitness and game in November and December and both Rafa and Roger played great tennis, so I am delighted that I could beat them," said the 21-year-old who had defeated Federer in the semi-finals on Friday.

"Right now, all I can say is that I am feeling very tired. It was a tough match and he made me run a lot. This is just the first week of the year and you do feel it in the body."

Nadal, who missed the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai last year because of a knee injury, was playing his first event in more than two months, and was delighted with his game and health.

"Today was a very good test for the knee. It was a two hour 45 minutes of high-quality, and I'm feeling very well," said the Spaniard who now has a 5-2 record over Murray.

On Murray, Nadal added: "He was very good towards the end of last year, and he is really playing well right now. I think he has got a great chance in Australia. I thought I played very good, but obviously, Andy played a little better."

Murray took the first set after breaking Nadal on his third break point in the third game and, in almost an action-replay of the opener, the Scotsman broke in the fifth game of the second set to go 3-2 up.

But Nadal came back in sensational fashion from 15-40 down in the sixth game and won it on the first break point to even the scores at 3-3. He then took the next service game at love.

He had two set points which he converted immediately to take the second set 7-5.

The first seven games of the final set was tennis of the highest quality from both players. Almost each game went the distance and involved spectacular rallies and amazing shots.

Murray broke in the seventh game, which lasted 14 minutes, on his second break point.

Once Nadal lost that game, Murray quickly closed out the affair by breaking him again in the ninth game.

AFP

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  1. get in dare murray get in dare ur gunna walk ur wat to no 1 no probs exspecialy seein ur final wid nadal m8 u did well m8 i put a bet on at ur first eva wimbledon n i could tell dis man is gunna be a world beater n hell god ur doing it u had da best eva ralleys wid nadal m8 even da commontators z so u r da best brap brap

    From gillam85, on Sun 4 Jan 9:35AM

  2. hey murry well done i am very happy i am your fan since you start tenis! wish you all the best .

    From tony b, on Sun 4 Jan 9:31AM

  3. Well done Murray,you have worked hard and turned a lot of people round including me..go get a grandslam tournament

    From andy, on Sun 4 Jan 8:56AM

  4. he is scotish

    and a ace tennis player 2

    From david.khanna, on Sun 4 Jan 8:25AM

  5. I thaught Murray was scotish

    From dereje, on Sun 4 Jan 7:43AM

  6. MagaretForlow. Could you just explain, please, what after-match antics you are talking about????

    As for the Scottish/English things what a lot of nonsense. Have some of you thickos not yet realised that that "anyone but England" comment was just a jocular expression of a sporting rivalry and very little to do with actual anti-Englishness. The lad's grandmother is half English, for Pete's sake.

    From Rod McG, on Sun 4 Jan 7:32AM

  7. Anyone who beats his nearest rivals on the world stage in any sport has the right to be called champion, whatever his nationality. Well done Andy Murray and whether he likes it or not, he is British.

    From PETER H, on Sun 4 Jan 7:18AM

  8. From a South African well done Andy and you are British all the way, biased remarks gets nobody anywhere, good game, great victory.!!

    From JAIME, on Sun 4 Jan 5:46AM

  9. "Britain is seen as England from most countrys throuout the world so that is why Murray is proud to let people know he is Scottish and not English "British" as I would not be proud being English.

    Yes I am a narrow minded Jock but on the same token you english have been nothing but arrogant @#$% for years.

    From derek, on Sun 4 Jan 5:18AM

  10. I am Scottish and so proud of Andy Murray. He may be Scottish but represents Britain when it comes to tennis tournaments. Tim Henman didnt do as well as Andy Murray, sounds like a bit of sour grapes from people who dont recognise real ability and talent. Henman had no personality and was also a pish poor player. Andy Murray reminds me of a young John Mc Enroe. Personality gets you no where in tennis. True grit, hard work and talent can take you to the top. It looks like Andy Murray is heading in the direction Tim Henman could only dream about.

    From Margaret M, on Sun 4 Jan 3:48AM

  11. Margaret Forlow have you recently had a personality bypass operation?

    From Nicholas, on Sun 4 Jan 3:23AM

  12. I'm pleased for Murray that he won -- in much the same way I'd have been pleased for Nadal had he done so. When he's playing as a Scot, I feel no more obligation to support Murray that anyone else. Sadly, his commitment to British tennis (ie Davis Cup) is not always entirely apparent, not least because he seems to have no good word to say about anyone but is always prepared to bad-mouth his colleagues.
    And I, too, remember his comments about supporting anyone except England -- not really what you want (or expect) to hear from anyone representing GB in any forum. As for the trauma he suffered in 1996, I wonder whether all those other children are now as ready as Murray to throw their toys out of the pram and be quite so potty-mouthed -- somehow I doubt it. It really is time he started to grow up and realise that his tennis career is an essentially ephemeral thing and that he'd do well to learn how to get along with people a little better -- he'd be much more likely to have his voice heard about the future of British tennis if he did so!

    From SUE, on Sun 4 Jan 2:33AM

  13. well done Andy, the whole of the uk should be proud of you and Scotland even more so, its not everyday they have the chance to be happy so well done.

    From ash_y2k42003, on Sun 4 Jan 2:01AM

  14. I missed out on Murray end of match antics but I am pleased to see another worldclass player coming through. I do not think Djokovic is up to it so I think this year will be a three horse race. I also hope Federer finds his feet again but Murray will now be increasingly tough to beat.

    From Morituri, on Sun 4 Jan 1:43AM

  15. what a lot of po faced mince
    We live in a United Kingdom - Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales make up the UK. A man can love his country and still be a part of the UK and represent the UK. Anyone who doesn't see the significance of this win for British tennis is a fool.

    From crjsp, on Sun 4 Jan 1:41AM

  16. Why does everyone get so uptight? Andy is a great player who deserves to be where he is. We are all the first to critcise the Brits with no killer instict and yet the minute we have a great passionate player (ok with a few bad words) we jump on his back. I say 'Go for it Andy, and if you need a few f words on the way , well just f*****g fine'!!!

    From cath.down, on Sun 4 Jan 12:36AM

  17. He's British. Grow up Silly Scots Haters. Besides, who else are you going to support: Delgado? There's a really British name for you!

    From ALAN G, on Sun 4 Jan 12:27AM

  18. hes irish

    From kennethw, on Sun 4 Jan 12:04AM

  19. tonyjcliffe what a complete and utter sad @#$% you must be!! Your comment shows you as a complete @#$%! Srill yr mum must be proud!!

    From Bill, on Sat 3 Jan 11:58PM

  20. well done murray for representing britain

    From Emmanuel, on Sat 3 Jan 11:51PM
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