World number six barely put a foot wrong in 6-2 6-0 rout.
Andy Murray showed no signs of a New Years hangover as he crushed Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-0 in the semi-finals of the Abu Dhabi Mubadala World Tennis Championship.
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The match was definitely more competitive than the scoreline suggest with some gruelling rallies during the two hour and 29 minutes bout.
Nadal showed visible signs of rust in what was his first competitive match since October following a serious back injury and appendicitis.
By comparison Murray was aggressive, sharp and immediately went about his business by breaking Nadal in his first service game and never looking back.
Murray had to fend off a series of break points in the next game before breaking the Spaniard’s serve again and winning the first set 6-2.
In the second set it was much the same; with Murray able to win the big points in the world number 3’s service games and Nadal by contrast unable to convert any of the break points he acquired.
Although the event holds no ranking points and is not an official ATP associated event, Murray will take many positives from a first win over a top four ranked opponent since July 2013.
Murray told British Eurosport after the win: “It was a very tough match. There were many long games. It shouldn’t have been that scoreline. I just managed to win the important points. Sometimes it goes that way.
“You never know how you’re going to feel until you get on the match court. I’m pleased. Today was an improvement from yesterday and hopefully tomorrow will be better as well.”
The Brit will play either Novak Djokovic or Stanislas Wawrinka in tomorrow’s final.
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