Murray on top of the world

Murray: Fantastic performance

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Andy Murray warmed up for his assault on the Australian Open with a thrilling 6-4 5-7 6-3 victory over Rafael Nadal in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

The British number one had never beaten the world number one, now Nadal, and world number two, now Roger Federer, in the same event before.

But with many tipping him for a real challenge on the majors in 2009 the Scot got his year up and running with another superb display at the World Championship exhibition event to confirm himself as a real contender for the top.

Quality

Just as he had done in the semi-final win over Federer, Murray lost the first game against his opponent's serve to love.

Perhaps it was a ploy to lure his opponent into a false sense of security though, for having held his own serve he then broke the Spaniard at the very next time of asking to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

The standard of almost every point was high and with both players running each other ragged it was only a matter of time before one of them broke again. Murray, it was, who double faulted to lose his service in the eighth game as parity was restored at 4-4.

But Nadal was also showing signs of strain and the Scot broke straight back before going on to hold his serve and take the first set 6-4.

Drama

Determined not to go down without a fight though, the world number one came out fired up for the second set and despite Murray breaking first in the fifth game of the second set, Nadal struck back immediately to make it 3-3.

And as the British number one's first serve began to desert him in spells, Nadal made his opponent pay as a long forehand from Murray ended the second set 7-5 in the Spaniard's favour.

The energy-sapping points continued in a tense third, but the quality remained high with both players contributing to a mesmerising encounter.

Fittingly it was the spectacular seventh game of the final set that proved crucial and it was Murray who emerged with the break after a scintillating display of tennis.

The Scot then broke his opponent again to take the match and set himself up nicely for the year's first grand slam in Melbourne starting on January 19.