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Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray played 24 matches between 2007-2016, with the Spaniard earning 16 victories. Andy toppled Rafa in the 2016 Madrid Masters semi-final, which remains their last meeting on the Tour. Two great friends and rivals will share the court at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi on Friday, battling for a place in the final of the prestigious exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.
In the quarter-final, a two-time champion Murray took down the fellow Briton Daniel Evans 6-3, 6-2 in an hour and 26 minutes for a winning start. Evans grabbed two breaks when he was already behind in both sets and gave serve away five times to hit the exit door and arrange the fifth-place match versus Taylor Fritz.
Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal will place for the final in Abu Dhabi.
Andy netted a forehand in the opening game to face two break chances, fending them off with winners and closing the game following Daniel's forehand mistake to avoid an early setback.
British no. 2 held at love in game two to get his name on the scoreboard before Murray landed a service winner for 2-1. Evans got broken in the fourth game after netting a forehand, and Murray cemented the advantage with a booming serve a few minutes later.
The three-time Major winner grabbed a break at love in game six and served for the set a few minutes later, only to net a forehand and keep the rival in contention. Serving at 5-3, Murray landed an ace to defend a break chance and repeated that on the second to maintain his serve intact and bring the game home to secure the opener.
With nothing working his way, Evans hit a double fault to suffer a break at the beginning of the second set, and Murray cemented it with a volley winner at the net. In those moments, the younger Briton lost the ground completely, spraying a forehand mistake to find himself 3-0 down and miles away from a positive scoreboard.
Andy netted a forehand in game four to experience a break before delivering another a few minutes later for a 4-1 advantage. Murray held at love in game six and served for the triumph at 5-2, firing a service winner to seal the deal and remain on the title course.