“He obviously played better than he did when I played him earlier in the year”, said Murray, who produced one of the most eye-catching results of his career by beating Nadal on clay in the final of the Madrid Masters.
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The Serbian has dominated the rivalry over the past two years, winning seven of their last eight matches, and has not dropped a set to Nadal this year.
There was little riding on the outcome of Friday’s encounter with Nadal guaranteed top spot in Group Ilie Nastase and Ferrer eliminated, but the two Spaniards are noted for their ferocious competiveness and put on an entertaining contest for an appreciative O2 Arena.
The beginning of the second set went with serve, but while Nadal started to race through service games Ferrer’s got longer – including an entertaining 26-shot rally in game six – leading to Nadal making the crucial breakthrough with an impeccable backhand for a 5-3 lead.
Nadal certainly has plenty of motivation to drag one last effort from his aching limbs as he attempts to end the worst year of his career on a high. But the 14-time Grand Slam champion showed how unsafe he could be in 2016 if he continues his resurgence. I’m trying to win every match that I play.
“Happy for that. I just want to try to keep working the same way to keep confirming that I am in the completely right direction”. Today I felt free. “I feel I’m enjoying it on court”.
He said: “I can’t have dips like I did against Rafa”. “He was able to dictate most of the points”, said Murray. “I didn’t help myself out there. I just think it’s been a bit unfortunate the way a few of the matches have ended the last couple of years”.
Critics are questioning where Murray’s focus is, given the impending Davis Cup Final and his somewhat lacklustre performance against Nadal, but the Brit insists that his focus now is fully on the task in hand.
The fifth seed must have thought it would be a straightforward afternoon when he broke serve twice to lead 3-0 in the opening set but it turned out to be anything but. Wawrinka took advantage, broke and never looked back. But Ferrer responded by winning the next four games, only to be broken again for 6-5 and give his fellow Spaniard a chance to serve out the set.
Wawrinka then motored through a second set in which he hit 19 winners to two from Ferrer.
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Nadal’s progress could have been held up had compatriot David Ferrer beaten Wawrinka in the evening session, but having led 5-2 in the first set and having a set point, Ferrer succumbed, losing 7-5 6-2 to the Swiss world No. 4.
