guardian.co.uk, Friday 2 January 2009 16.55 GMT
Andy Murray set up his first meeting with Rafael Nadal since their epic US Open semi-final last year with a three-set win against Roger Federer, the man who beat him in the final in New York, in Abu Dhabi. Nadal beat Nikolay *Davydenko 6–2, 6–3 in the other World Tennis *Championship semi-final.
Murray beat Federer 4–6, 6–2, 7–6 (8–6) in his second match of the event. The Swiss, the world No2, had like Nadal received a bye through the first round of matches at the exhibition tournament, in which Murray beat America's James Blake in straight sets.
Of the relatively sluggish start he had made against *Federer, and some apparent problems with his back, Murray said: "I think it's just that I haven't played a match in six or seven weeks. Today was pretty physical, I did a lot of running, so I'm sure it's just a bit stiff.
"Every time you play Roger it's a great challenge, we've had a lot of close matches in the past. I've got the better of him on a few *occasions but in the big one we played, at the US Open final, he beat me pretty badly. Hopefully I'll maybe get him in a slam one day."
Questioned about his plans for the new season Murray, who has now beaten *Federer five times in seven matches, said: "I need to just try to do what I did in the last three or four months of last year — I played very well. Preparations for the Aussie Open [which starts in Melbourne on January 19] begin here and then I'm off to Doha next week[for the Qatar ExxonMobil Open] and I will just try to keep my form going."
Against Federer, in front of a 5,000 crowd at the Zayed Sports City complex, the 21-year-old Scot fell 3–0 behind in the opening set before he began to find his feet. Federer eventually took the set, which was, like the rest of the match, played at a relatively subdued pace, 6–4. Murray, who had double-faulted on set point in the first, broke Federer's serve immediately in the second and did it again before winning the set 6–2.
In the deciding set the world No4 went 4–1 up after breaking Federer's serve twice but then missed a chance for a third and found himself pegged back to a tiebreak after Federer saved three match points. Murray led the tiebreak 6–3 before *winning it 8–6 to take the match.
Federer, who had used the match to experiment with his serve and volley game, did not seem too distraught to have been defeated.
"I have realised that I will win some and lose some," he said. "As long as I enjoy the game, I don't mind the losses. But I surely want to win the big games. I am not going to chase titles or records as badly as I was last year."
In 2008 Federer lost the world No1 spot to Nadal after occupying it for more than four years. Nadal won the French Open and Wimbledon and Novak Djokovic, the world No3 who did not compete in this event, won in Australia. Federer's victory over Murray at Flushing Meadows meant that he did not finish the year without a grand slam win for the first time since 2002.
The winner of tomorrow's final between Murray and Nadal will take home a £173,000 prize.
Andy Murray set up his first meeting with Rafael Nadal since their epic US Open semi-final last year with a three-set win against Roger Federer, the man who beat him in the final in New York, in Abu Dhabi. Nadal beat Nikolay *Davydenko 6–2, 6–3 in the other World Tennis *Championship semi-final.
Murray beat Federer 4–6, 6–2, 7–6 (8–6) in his second match of the event. The Swiss, the world No2, had like Nadal received a bye through the first round of matches at the exhibition tournament, in which Murray beat America's James Blake in straight sets.
Of the relatively sluggish start he had made against *Federer, and some apparent problems with his back, Murray said: "I think it's just that I haven't played a match in six or seven weeks. Today was pretty physical, I did a lot of running, so I'm sure it's just a bit stiff.
"Every time you play Roger it's a great challenge, we've had a lot of close matches in the past. I've got the better of him on a few *occasions but in the big one we played, at the US Open final, he beat me pretty badly. Hopefully I'll maybe get him in a slam one day."
Questioned about his plans for the new season Murray, who has now beaten *Federer five times in seven matches, said: "I need to just try to do what I did in the last three or four months of last year — I played very well. Preparations for the Aussie Open [which starts in Melbourne on January 19] begin here and then I'm off to Doha next week[for the Qatar ExxonMobil Open] and I will just try to keep my form going."
Against Federer, in front of a 5,000 crowd at the Zayed Sports City complex, the 21-year-old Scot fell 3–0 behind in the opening set before he began to find his feet. Federer eventually took the set, which was, like the rest of the match, played at a relatively subdued pace, 6–4. Murray, who had double-faulted on set point in the first, broke Federer's serve immediately in the second and did it again before winning the set 6–2.
In the deciding set the world No4 went 4–1 up after breaking Federer's serve twice but then missed a chance for a third and found himself pegged back to a tiebreak after Federer saved three match points. Murray led the tiebreak 6–3 before *winning it 8–6 to take the match.
Federer, who had used the match to experiment with his serve and volley game, did not seem too distraught to have been defeated.
"I have realised that I will win some and lose some," he said. "As long as I enjoy the game, I don't mind the losses. But I surely want to win the big games. I am not going to chase titles or records as badly as I was last year."
In 2008 Federer lost the world No1 spot to Nadal after occupying it for more than four years. Nadal won the French Open and Wimbledon and Novak Djokovic, the world No3 who did not compete in this event, won in Australia. Federer's victory over Murray at Flushing Meadows meant that he did not finish the year without a grand slam win for the first time since 2002.
The winner of tomorrow's final between Murray and Nadal will take home a £173,000 prize.
strikes me as someone who feeds on the other players weaknesses and adapts his gameplan to suit and Murray the same
RAFA 
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