Andy Murray
Abu Dhabi — World number one Andy Murray fell to a surprise defeat to David Goffin in the semi-finals of the season-opening Mubadala World Tennis Championships yesterday.
Briton Murray, who had won all five of his previous meetings with the 11th-ranked Belgian, was beaten 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
Goffin will next meet either Canadian Milos Raonic or Spaniard Rafael Nadal in today’s final, with Murray up against the loser of that semi-final.
Nadal, a three-time winner, is making his return to competition in the six-man event after a 2016 season plagued by physical problems.
The championship from December 29-31 also includes France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Czech Thomas Berdych.
Spanish great Rafael Nadal will be hoping the season-opening Brisbane International gives him the chance to kick-start his career following an injury-plagued 2016.
The 30-year-old has won 14 Grand Slam singles titles in a glittering career, the last coming at the French Open in 2014.
But his 2016 campaign was ruined by a wrist injury that forced him out of Roland Garros after the second round and saw him miss Wimbledon.
He then lost to Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the fourth round of the US Open and slipped to number nine in the world rankings at year end.
But the Spaniard says he is fit again and insists he can still challenge for a Grand Slam title.
“My idea is to stay here for a few more years and I feel enough motivation to be here,” Nadal said after beating Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-0, 6-4 at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi.
“I believe that I can compete for important things in the next three years.”
Nadal will be making his first appearance at the Brisbane International, a major lead-up tournament to the Australian Open, and one that boasts a high-class field.
“I’m ready to play in Brisbane – I hope to be 100 percent ready to play at a good level,” he said.
—AP.