Rafael Nadal, the defending Japan Open champion, couldn’t hold on to his title.
Japan Open Results: Andy Murray Beats Rafael Nadal To Win Tournament
Andy Murray defeated Nadal in three sets during the final match of the tournament.
Murray, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, split the first two sets with his Spanish opponent. Murray’s break came in the fourth game of the second set. Murray then won 11 of the next 12 games to easily put Nadal away in the final set - 3-6, 6-2, 6-0
Murray, who also won last week’s Thailand Open, has won 21 of his past 22 matches.
The year-end target Murray set for himself was a season-ending ranking of No. 3 in the world.
“I’ve played well in the last few months in Cincinnati and then the U.S. Open and I now need to carry on that form into Shanghai,” Murray told the ATP official website.
Murray made it to the finals after defeating David Ferrer of Spain, 6-2, 6-3.
Nadal’s ticket to the finals included a semifinal victory over American Mardy Fish. Nadal won his third match of the tournament with a first-set tiebreak. He beat Fish 7-5, 6-1.
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