Murray has measure of Federer

TENNIS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: ANDY MURRAY'S preparations for the new season gained momentum in Abu Dhabi as he defeated world number two Roger Federer to progress to the final of the World Tennis Championship.

The British player was sparked into action after losing the first set and went on to dominate his illustrious opponent for most of a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) victory which underlined his measure of the Swiss player, whom he has now beaten five times in seven meetings.

Murray had looked home and dry at 4-1 in the deciding set and then 6-3 in the tie-break but was made to battle all the way before Federer struck a forehand long to seal his fate.

An initially sluggish Murray was broken in his first service game and then failed to convert his own break point as Federer raced 3-0 ahead. But the world number four bounced back to break Federer with a series of punishing shots from the baseline as he began to look comfortable in the Zayed Sports City arena.

However, with both men playing at a subdued pace in what amounts to a pre-season warm-up before the campaign proper begins next week, Federer took the first set 6-4 after Murray double-faulted on set point.

The Scot broke immediately in the second set and repeated the feat to eventually take it 6-2. Murray took the Federer serve twice to claim a 4-1 lead in the decider. But he missed an easy volley which would have made it a triple break and Federer hit back to force a tie-break. Murray kept his cool to set up a meeting with Rafael Nadal in today's final.

Murray appeared to be suffering pain in his back at several points during the match but he insisted it should not hamper his preparations for the Australian Open which begins on January 19th. "I think it's just I haven't played a match in six or seven weeks. Today was pretty physical, I did a lot of running, so I'm sure it's just a bit stiff," he said.

Murray added: "Every time you play Roger it's a great challenge, we've had a lot of close matches in the past. I've got the better of him on a few occasions but in the big one we played, at the US Open final, he beat me pretty badly."

The 21-year-old vowed to continue in the same vein as 2008 when he emerged as a genuine contender for a Grand Slam title. "I need to just try to do what I did in the last three or four months of last year - I played very well," he said. "Preparations for the Aussie Open begin here and then I'm off to Doha next week and will just try to keep my form going."

Nadal later defeated Nikolay Davydenko 6-2, 6-3 to confirm his clash with Murray today.