Two-time Mubadala World Tennis Championship winner Andy Murray produced a masterful performance to see off compatriot Dan Evans in a Battle of Britain and set up a blockbuster semi-final with reigning champion Rafa Nadal.
The three-time Grand Slam champion came firing out of the blocks in the second match on Day 1 at the International Tennis Centre, at Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, taking a 5-1 lead. British No.2 Evans claimed the next two games, but Murray held his serve to take out the first set 6-3.
Murray opened the second set with a break of serve in front of an appreciative crowd and the 2009 and 2015 champion continued to look sharp around the court with an attacking display. The inaugural MWTC winner used all his experience to power through the second set, sealing a 6-3, 6-2 victory to secure a semi-final date with Nadal, a treat for Friday’s ticketholders.
The 34-year-old was happy with his performance and is looking forward to testing himself against reigning champion Nadal in an intriguing semi-final.
“I did pretty well tonight, It’s quite a different match. These are the sort of matches I want to be playing and the reason why I am still playing is to play in events like this and hopefully to go with a good performance,” said Murray.
“I want to be playing with these guys in biggest tournaments again. Tomorrow is a good opportunity to play against him (Rafa). Last time we played was five or six years ago, it’s really been a long time, it shows the sort of struggle I have been through in the last few years. It’s nice to be playing against each other again. Events like these prepare us for the new season in the best way.”
Tickets for Friday and Saturday at the 13th Mubadala World Tennis Championship, starting from AED 100 for adults and AED 50 for children, are available from ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Tournament organisers have made it game, set match for fans with special promotions on group tickets. Groups of 10 or more Premier Hospitality, Category 1 and Category 2 tickets are available at 15% discount. Premier Hospitality tickets offer fans a premium F&B menu and courtside seating providing prime viewing and an unparalleled experience
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