Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return to compatriot David Ferrer during their semi-final match at the World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi yesterday. Nadal lost 4-6, 4-6. (Reuters)
Rafael Nadal got his season underway with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the semi-finals of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
It was the world number one’s first match since losing in straight sets to Novak Djokovic in the final of the World Tour Finals in London on November 11.
Playing ahead of the official ATP season-opener in Doha next week, Ferrer looked the sharper from the start, breaking in the ninth game to take the first set.
It was more of the same in the second set as Nadal struggled to find his range against an opponent who already had a game under his belt, having defeated Stanislas Wawrinka in Thursday’s quarter-finals.
“I think the fact that I had already played a game on the same surface meant that I was better prepared than Rafa,” said Ferrer. “I am happy with the state of my game and will look to produce my best tennis for the final.”
In earlier action, Andy Murray chalked up his first win since returning to action after a three-month injury lay-off by defeating Switzerland’s Wawrinka 6-3, 6-4.
The 26-year-old Wimbledon champion had back surgery in September and did not play again until he lost to Tsonga in the quarter-finals of the exhibition tournament on Thursday.
Wawrinka lost to Ferrer on the same day and the match between him and Murray was to decide who would finish fifth in the unofficial three-day tournament that saw Nadal and Djokovic joining in at the semi-final stage.
Murray looked much sharper against Wawrinka than he had looked in the second set against Tsonga and had little difficulty in seeing off the challenge of the world number eight.
The world number four got the better of three successive breaks to take the first set and then forged ahead again with a break for 4-3 in the second. Wawrinka saved a match-point on his own serve with a forehand winner, but Murray confidently served out for the victory.
In a courtside interview Murray said: “I feel pretty good, a lot better than I did a few months ago. I just need to play more matches like this because the intensity’s a lot higher than you can get in practice.
“It was good to get two matches against top players. Everyone needs matches at this stage, especially me. It’s been a perfect start and hopefully I’ll get better.”
Murray will next make the short trip over to Doha where he will play in the AFP season-opener tournament, starting from Monday.
NADAL TO CONCENTRATE MORE ON FITNESS THAN TITLES IN 2014
Staying fit is more important to Rafa Nadal in 2014 than adding to his 13 Grand Slam titles, the world number one said yesterday.
Spaniard Nadal had one of the best seasons of his career in 2013 following his return in February after seven months out with a knee injury, winning 10 tournaments including a record eighth French Open crown and a second US Open title.
As he gears up for the start of the 2014 Tour, the 27-year-old Mallorcan told Spain’s As newspaper that remaining healthy and being able to challenge at the top level were his priorities.
“What I want is to be able to start the year well and in shape to compete in the big tournaments,” Nadal said. “In that sense, and thinking about 2014, I am not going to talk at the moment about winning the ninth Roland Garros or winning Wimbledon again, which would be the third time.
“No, look, what is important to me is to maintain my fitness in a way that will allow me to play the whole year, and competing at a good level. You see it’s not easy... I couldn’t do that, for the whole season, in 2012, 2013.”
Nadal’s 10 titles last season came close to matching the best year of his career, when he won 11 in 2005, including his first Roland Garros crown. He said his enforced rest in the second half of 2012 had meant he was fresh and hungry on his return and that was possibly why he had been so successful.
“In terms of results, I don’t know if 2013 was the best year of my career,” Nadal told As. “What made it special was the feeling of being able to compete again at the level I managed.
“But certainly 2013 was the most emotional of my career. If you ask me about the key elements of what happened I think I started playing when I was fresher than ever after a seven-month rest. That may have been the key to the successes.”
Nadal will get his next crack at a Grand Slam when the Australian Open starts in Melbourne in mid January.