Reuters
London, Nov 19: Rafael Nadal cut World No.2 Andy Murray down to size with an impressive 6-4, 6-1 victory at the ATP World Tour Finals here Wednesday evening which provided further evidence of the Spaniard’s return to his former powers. By virtue of the victory, Nadal confirmed his place in the semifinals, his last group game against country mate David Ferrer turning inconsequential.
Earlier in the day, Swiss Stan Wawrinka, kept his last four stage hopes alive with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Ferrer, who now with two successive losses has been eliminated from the tournament.
A distracted Murray, who bizarrely clipped his fringe hairs with a pair of scissors during one changeover early on, capitulated, but only after Nadal had softened him up with the kind of ferocious hitting that earned him 14 Grand Slam titles. Ripping forehands to all corners of the court and moving smoothly, the 29-year-old dominated the match throughout.
It was a powerful performance from Nadal that would certainly leave his worldwide army of fans purring. “For me to be able to play at that level against such a great player (Murray) is good news,” Nadal, who will top the group whatever happens Friday against Ferrer, told reporters. “Happy for that. I just want to try to keep working the same way to keep confirming that I am in the right direction. Today (Wednesday) I felt free. I was enjoying on court.”
For British Murray, his thoughts may already be drifting towards next week’s Davis Cup final against Belgium on a clay court in Ghent, although victory over Wawrinka will earn him a place in the semifinals.
“I think he (Nadal) was hitting the ball extremely well today from the back of the court,” Murray told reporters. “From the middle till the end of the second set he played extremely well. But I didn’t really help myself. I served poorly at the end of the first set and all through the second.”
Murray won only 10 per cent of points on his second serve in the second set, and a nine-point losing streak virtually sealed his fate and left him waiting for a first win over Nadal in London, having lost three times to him at Wimbledon and once before at the O2 Arena in 2010.
Trailing 2-3, in the first set Murray did well to fend off three breakpoints, but he found himself 15-40 down again two games later, and once more wriggled out of danger. His luck ran out though. Nadal creamed a forehand winner to bring up three set points at 4-5 and needed just one as he ran Murray ragged before winning the point with a deft volley.
