This week in the Californian desert was meant to be all about the reuniting of the so-called Fab Four, and how Rafael Nadal held up his end of the bargain.

The fears about his whole career, very real until barely a month ago, were left swirling around like so many grains of sand as he claimed the BNP Paribas title with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 victory in Sunday night’s final over Juan Martin Del Potro.

For the 26 year-old Spaniard it represeted a stunning statement, winning his third consecutive title since returning in February from a seven-month absence, with this one easily the most significant.

To claim the winner’s cheque of $1million he had to beat three top 10 players in succession on a hard court at his first Masters level event since disappearing from view with a second round defeat at Wimbledon.

First he overcame an albeit slightly injured Roger Federer, then No 6 Tomas Berdych and now the rampant Del Potro, who himself had knocked out Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in consecutive matches.

Nadal has, as expected, pulled out of the forthcoming Sony Ericsson Open in Miami to protect his knees for the European clay court season, and who would bet now that it will not end in early June with him lifting the French Open title yet again?

Significant: Nadal has won three successive titles since his return from injury, but this was easily the most significant as he beat three top 10 players

Disappointment: Despite beating Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic to get to the final, Juan Martin Del Potro (pictured) could not beat Nadal

There can be few questions now about his movement, despite him making a surfeit of errors in blowing a 3-0 first set lead when faced with an onslaught of forehand winners from the 2009 US Open champion.

When he was broken in the first game of the second set it looked as if the dream comeback was on hold, but then Nadal went through a phase of cutting out his unforced errors altogether, and that swung it back to him against the slowly fading Argentinian, who he broke back for 3-3 and overtook for 5-3.

Despite the Del Potro forehand looking back to its Flushing Meadows potency, Nadal, playing way behind the baseline, was untroubled holding on to his serve once he went ahead early in the decider. If this is what he is like on hard courts, admittedly at a high-bouncing venue he loves, then he will resume being a nightmare to face on clay.

Impressive: Nadal has left no questions over his fitness and injury worries

At a stretch: Del Potro returns with a backhand

Embrace: Nadal and Del Potro share a word after their match

He missed three match points against serve at 5-3 but then made no mistake on closing it out at the first attempt, celebrating a two hour 29 minute win by rolling on to his back and clenching his fists.

‘I started the match playing fantastic and then he played more aggressive,’ said Nadal. ‘I tried to slow thing down after that. My movement today was unbelievable, I ran for balls that I never thought I would be able to do again. I am very happy for that, there have been a lot of difficult moments in the last eight months.’

Into the stands: Nadal jumps into the team box to celebrate

Take a punt: Who would bet against Nadal winning the French Open

Djokovic and Murray are the top two seeds at the season’s second Masters event of the season in Miami that begins this week. Roger Federer is among those sitting it out as he begins an eight-week break and Murray could look at Monday morning’s rankings and see that he is barely 350 points behind him in the No 2 spot, a mere sliver.

The 25 year-old Serb will begin there having lost his 22-match winning streak on Saturday, just when it was starting to look luke he might emulate his performance of 2011, when he went unbeaten until the semi-finals of the French Open.

Juan Martin del Potro defeated Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday, handing the Serb his first loss in 21 matches dating to last October.

Del Potro broke his own four-match losing streak against Djokovic, who had beaten the Argentine in eight of 10 career meetings.

Del Potro's 133-mph ace closed out the nearly three-hour match in 96-degree heat. Del Potro raised both arms in celebration.

You've Juan it: Del Potro celebrates after defeating Novak Djokovic at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday

Not used to this feeling: World No 1 Djokovic reflects on his first defeat since last October

At times, the unseasonable heat seemed to have worn down Del Potro, who draped a white towel packed with ice around his shoulders on changeovers, his chest heaving from several long rallies.

It was Djokovic's first loss since October 31, when American Sam Querrey beat him indoors at the Paris Masters. The Serb had won 17 consecutive matches and two titles, including the Australian Open, to start the year.

Del Potro, the second Argentine to reach the final here, will play Rafael Nadal for the title on Sunday.

No 2 seed Maria Sharapova and No 8 Caroline Wozniacki will play in the women's final.

Nadal rallied to beat Tomas Berdych 6-4, 7-5 and reach his fourth ATP Tour final in as many events.

Relentless: Rafael Nadal has now reached four ATP finals in as many attempts

Off to the best start of his career, Nadal improved to 16-1 - including 13 wins in a row - on the year, having won two clay-court titles and been runner-up in another since returning from a left knee injury that idled him for seven months.

'It's very, very difficult to imagine something like this. But here we are today, and very happy about all what happened the last month, especially last three weeks,' said Nadal, who beat No 2 Roger Federer in straight sets in the quarterfinals.

'I have nothing to lose after seven months (out). I did much more than what I dreamed.'

It was Nadal's 12th straight win over Berdych, including seven consecutive on hard courts.

'He looks strong again,' Berdych said of Nadal, whose leg is taped just below his left knee. 'He still play very aggressive, and what he was missing in his first matches when he come back after the injury was maybe a bit of confidence in his game, but definitely not today and not anymore.'

Threat: Nadal is approaching his best form since returning from a knee injury that kept him out for seven months

Berdych came in with 18 match wins - second-most on tour this year - and was trying to make the final of three tournaments in a row for the first time in his career.

Berdych got broken at five-all in the second set when he lost an easy smash in the sun, sending it wide.

Trailing 6-5, the sixth-seeded Czech held three break points, but couldn't convert. Twice Nadal came up with big serves and then Berdych committed an unforced error.

Berdych's netted forehand set up Nadal's first match point, but the fifth-seeded Spaniard pulled a forehand wide for deuce. Berdych sent a backhand into the net for Nadal's second match point, and he closed out the nearly two-hour match in unseasonably hot temperatures when Berdych netted another backhand.

Pegged back: The Australian Open champion looked to be cruising but lost the final two sets

Good stretch: Del Potro also beat Andy Murray on his route to the final in Indian Wells

'I was very nervous at the end of the match to close the match and was lucky that my serve worked amazing in the last game in important moments,' he said. 'Victories like today, like the other day, helps you a lot for the confidence and to remember all the things that you have to do in every moment.'

Nadal had 16 winners and 25 unforced errors but he saved three of four break points, getting broken in the eighth game on a double fault to give Berdych a 5-3 lead. Nadal then won the final three games of the match.

'When it was 5-3 since that time I serve only one first serve and he serve only one second serve,' Berdych said. 'Actually, that was the difference.'

For a while last night it appeared that Andy Murray would once again be the desert mouse at the tournament where he has been upset in his opening round in the past two years.

Since 2010 he has arrived here in a state of post Australian Open angst, frustrated by his failure to land a first Grand Slam and suffering a motivational crisis as a consequence.

It looked all a bit eerily similar before he recovered from a shakey start to beat unheralded but talented Russian Evgeny Donskoy 5-7 6-2 6-2 to reach the third round of the BNP Paribas Open, in which he will meet Taipei’s Yen Hsun Lu, who beat him at the Beijing Olympics.

Small scare: Andy Murray progressed past Russia's Evgeny Donskoy but had to battle from being a set down

'I was a little bit nervous and he started very well but I managed to hang in there and played better at the end of the second set,' said the world number three in fair summation. As it was he survived to keep alive his hopes of overtaking Roger Federer at number two, which could be achieved if he reaches the final.

He is certainly in a better place mentally than he was twelve months ago, but admitted that his recent history in southern California was a difficult thing to forget: 'I felt good before the match today, and I felt good before my match last year, as well.

'I practiced really well the week before the tournament here last year, and had played well in Brisbane, Australian Open, and then Dubai.You have in the back of your head that you played poorly the last couple of years and struggled, that's always there.

Backhand: Donskoy is currently ranked No 83 in the world but caused a problem for Murray

'When I first played here I liked the conditions and I always had decent results so I don’t know exactly what it is.

'Once I got into more of a rhythm today I was able to dictate more of the points. But he played some good stuff. He's got quite easy power, doesn't force anything. I think he's pretty smart on the court, too. He doesn't kind of go for shots that aren't on and doesn't make many mistakes.'

The ball tends to fly through the dry desert air at slight altitude, and it can take some getting used to, which also proved Murray’s undoing when he lost to unfancied  Donald Young in 2011 and Guillermo Garcia Lopez in 2012. He did make the final in 2009, however, showing that he can play well when the mood is right.

Struggles: Murray has suffered surprise losses to on his last two visits to Indian Wells

Into the next round: Murray will meet Yen Hsun-Lu

World number 83 Donskoy is coached by recently retired British pro Morgan Phillips and may well be in the Russian team that plays a Murray-less Great Britain in next month’s Davis Cup tie in Coventry.

He has been helped and mentored by one of his country’s greatest players, Marat Safin, and there is something reminiscent of the former Australian Open champion in his shotmaking and natural timing.

Soon he was making Murray’s decision to retreat for six weeks since Melbourne look  ill-advised as he punished weak second serves and took advantage of some wayward play with blistering winners from well behind the baseline to race to 5-1 up.

Causing problems: At one point Donskoy was up 5-1 in the first set before Murray battled back

The 25 year-old Scot, also playing his first match in America since lifting the trophy at Flushing Meadows, gradually pulled things back but at 5-5 allowed six break points to escape from his grasp and was broken for a third time to lose the set.

When Murray broke for 3-2 in the second it was only thanks to a straightforward missed volley but that proved the pivotal point of the match. Helped by the number of unforced errors creeping up from the other side of the net Murray started to feel the ball better and work his opponent out.

The Scot’s body language in the third set told you he was still not enjoying an opponent who denies you rhythm, but ultimately he came through a match you suspect he might have lost without that bolstering experience of the US Open in the bank.

He will next play singles on Tuesday and today will be restricted to doubles duty alongside brother Jamie, with whom he beat the formidable team of Robert Lindstedt and Nenad Zimonjic in the first round.

Back in action: This was Murray's first match since his loss in the Australian Open final to Novak Djokovic on January 27th

Rafael Nadal continued his comeback from injury with a comfortable 6-3 6-4 win over Joao Souza in the Brazil Open.

The Spaniard, who reached the final in Vina Del Mar last week, needed just one hour and 18 minutes to beat his Brazilian opponent in the second round.

Nadal decided to pull out of the doubles event in Sao Paulo but he is through to the quarter-finals of the singles where he will face Argentine Carlos Berlocq.

Comeback trail: Rafael Nadal beat Joao Souza in straight sets in Brazil

Going strong: Nadal pulled out of the doubles event in Sao Paulo but is into the last eight of the singles

Meanwhile in Rotterdam, Roger Federer cruised past Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker 6-3 6-4 in the second round of the World Indoor Tournament.

Defending champion Federer only landed 42 per cent of his first serves during the first set but an early break helped him take the lead against an awkward home favourite.

'He had a clear game plan with a lot of variation so I never really got into a rally,' Federer said. 'He was also unpredictable for me.'

Winner: Roger Federer overcame Thiemo de Bakker (below) in Rotterdam

Another early break in the second set combined with an improved service ratio earned top seed Federer a place in the quarter-finals where he faces Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

Second seed Juan Martin Del Potro, who was beaten by Federer in last year's final, saved his best tennis for the big points as he struggled past wild card Ernests Gulbis 7-6 6-3.

Latvian Gulbis impressed with his serve in the second set when he hit five straight aces, but a break in the eighth game was enough for Del Potro to clinch the match.

Advancing: Federer accepts the applause from the crowd

Daily Mail

Rafael Nadal has made a successful return, battling to the finals of his first tournament in Chile, and is once again speaking out about the ATP Tour's organisation.

The former World No 1 has urged the ATP to consider allowing more tournaments to be played on softer surfaces.

The 11-time Grand Slam winner believes that playing so many hard-court tournaments limits the careers of players who put their joints under a lot of strain.

Unhappy: Nadal believes careers are being limited by the dominance of hard courts on the ATP tour

Winner: Nadal teamed up with David Nalbandian in the doubles competition and recorded a win in the first round

It's easy to understand the Spaniard's frustration - he has been forced to take multiple injury breaks from the sport because of the strain that the game puts on his body.

The most recent was seven months, during which time he slipped from No 2 to No 5 in the world rankings.

Unfortunately for Nadal, his game suffers more from the strain caused by hard courts than most players because of its physicality. For a long-time he excelled on the clay courts, but found it difficult to dominate on the hard court until later in his career. Since then he has done his best to adapt his game to the surface, but it hasn't been enough to prevent injury.

The 26-year-old spoke out from the Brazil Open, the second tournament on his comeback tour of South America, saying: 'After ending the career it would be nice to be able to play football with friends, or tennis, but with this surface I don't think it's going to be possible.

Disagreement: The Spaniard does not feel players should be penalised for taking more than 20 seconds between points

'Hard courts are aggressive on the knees, back and ankles.'

'Can you imagine football players playing on cement?' he added.

Also on the Spaniard's list of gripes is the ATP's decision to enforce the 20-second rule between points at Grand Slams

As one of the players known for taking significant breaks between points, Nadal has never been a fan of enforcing the rule, and has said at multiple points in his career that it is unreasonable to expect players to fight the long rallies that they do and only get a 20 second rest in between.

'People want to see long rallies and hard-fought points,' he said. 'Twenty five seconds is not enough.'

Nadal has already recorded his first win in Brazil after teaming up with Argentina's David Nalbandian for the doubles competition. The pair beat Spaniards Pablo Andujar and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in three sets.

Andy Murray has renewed his calls for improved drug testing in tennis and demanded that the names of any players who turn out to be guilty by association with Operation Puerto be made public.

With Spanish authorities still refusing to divulge the identities of those from outside cycling who were found to have worked with Dr Eufemiano Fuentes, the world No 3 has added his name to those demanding they change their mind.

Fuentes has admitted that, in the mid-1990s, he treated the blood not just of cyclists but also footballers, athletes and tennis players. However, a legal ruling has so far meant that public disclosure has been limited to one sport.

Return: Andy Murray announced his participation at June's AEGON Championships on Monday

‘I think it’s essential that the names of whoever was involved come out,’ said Murray, who was in London announcing his participation at June’s AEGON Championships at Queen’s Club.

He also believes some cash may have to be diverted from prize-money rises to fund the fight to ensure an increasingly physical sport is clean.

The annual spend on testing in tennis is only about the same as one player would receive for winning a Grand Slam - around £1million.

‘If one in a hundred players is doping, in my eyes that isn’t a clean sport,’ said Murray. ‘I know that I’m clean and I would hope that’s the same for all tennis players. We need to ensure everyone competing is clean and that comes with biological passports and more blood testing.

‘It comes down to cost. Whoever is putting the money in, even if it means taking some of the money off the players’ earnings, that’s what we have to do. Not just tennis, all sports need to look very closely at this. A lot has been learned from the Lance Armstrong situation. ‘I don’t want that happening for my sport or any sport.’

Disgraced: Shamed cycling drug cheat Lance Armstrong was involved with Dr Eufemiano Fuentes

Murray is currently taking a break before heading to his Miami base next weekend to start preparing for his next tournament, which will be the season’s first Masters level event at Indian Wells in California early next month.

By then, everyone will know more about the true state of Rafael Nadal’s knees, which get their first serious test since Wimbledon when he competes at the relatively low-key ATP event at Vina del Mar in Chile this week.

Nadal will play doubles today and take his singles bow tomorrow as part of a plan to play three clay-court tournaments before heading to Indian Wells.

The 26-year-old Spaniard has made cautious noises ahead of his return and admitted that his knee is still causing some minor pain, but then he rarely talks himself up, even in full health.

Murray believes that if Nadal stays fit, then he should be back to his best by the French Open in May, but also that his aura may have been diminished by his absence.

Return: Rafael Nadal is making his comeback from a lengthy injury lay-off in Chile this week

He said: ‘The first weeks and months back people will not be expecting him to be at his highest level and think they’ll be able to upset him.

‘But if Rafa wins his first few tournaments, then people will be worrying about him getting back very quickly.’

‘People fearing you comes from winning.’

It was steaming hot in Melbourne and David Ferrer looked like he had been staked out in the Rod Laver Arena in blazing sun for several hours.

The problem being, it was a night match and the first hour was not yet up. Playing Novak Djokovic has that effect on people.

Ferrer is usually a sapping endurance test for any player. Long rallies — 32 shots in the first game of the third set — plenty of baseline action, lots of stamina required. Djokovic turned their semi-final meeting into something akin to a first-round loosener.

The opening set passed in 29 minutes 6-2, the second by the same margin, only five minutes longer. Djokovic would mop his face with a towel. Ferrer looked as if he was about to melt.

Vintage: Novak Djokovic was in phenomenal form as he swept aside David Ferrer

He is monstrous, in this form, the world No 1. This was his 20th consecutive victory at the Australian Open, a run stretching back to his quarter-final defeat by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2010. Djokovic was a different player then and tennis a different world.

The year 2010 was when Djokovic changed and the transformation altered his sport. He stopped  choking, stopped losing to inferiors. He can be beaten but only by a select band operating at the very peak of their potential. You know the register: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray. They play to their limit or Djokovic triumphs. The rest: forget it.

Ferrer can give just about every player a game on his day but not Djokovic in Australia. With Nadal injured, his countryman is established as the fourth-best player in the world. He might as well be the fifth Beatle for all the impact he is going to make in that role.

It must have been truly humbling for Ferrer, and rather intimidating for Djokovic’s final opponent, Murray or Federer, to witness such a tour de force. So much rides on their semi-final but Djokovic is the king in Melbourne.

Well beaten: Ferrer (right) had no answer as Djokovic moved ominously closer to a third straight title

The last Grand Slam match that he lost to a player who was not part of tennis’s elite was at Wimbledon in 2010, beaten in the semi-final by Tomas Berdych. This is his 10th Slam since then and he has either emerged victorious or been defeated by one of the modern greats. No outsider can lay a glove on him.

Indeed, Murray’s victory in New York last year looked increasingly epic with every ferocious blow landed against Ferrer. How did he stop this man? How did he take him to five sets and win? How did he grind him physically to a standstill?

Djokovic was unleashing shots like a gunslinger in a Quentin Tarantino movie, like Djoko Unchained. There was an air of violence about it, pure and visceral. One almost expected him to rip Ferrer’s body in two on the return.

If there was a better individual performance at this tournament, nobody had seen it. In the final set, 4-0 down, Ferrer took a point on his own serve and received a sympathetic Australian cheer. He went on to win the game and the relief was tangible. No bagel.

At full stretch: Ferrer was brushed aside by Djokovic who will now face Andy Murray or Roger Federer

Ferrer is a fine player and few but the Serb diehards enjoyed seeing such a one-sided contest. He was fighting all the way, too.

This wasn’t capitulation, just an irresistible force meeting a highly movable object. Yet no matter where and how Ferrer moved, Djokovic always found another means of getting him scuttling forlornly across court. Forehand pass, pow, backhand pass, bang, drop-shot to the net.

Occasionally, Djokovic puffed out his cheeks as if being kind, trying to show the work was hard. It didn’t look hard, though. Not elite sport hard, anyway.

At the end, Ferrer’s second serve came back like a rocket, he returned it long and the third set was over, 6-1 and 26 minutes. Ferrer couldn’t get off court quick enough. He looked as if he was suffering extreme trauma.

‘I don’t think I can play any better,’ said Djokovic. ‘That was one of the best performances of my career. Even at two sets up and 4-0 up, I didn’t want to give him any points. He’s a very good player, he bounces back very quickly and it was important not to give him that chance. I felt very free in my mind tonight, and hopefully I will stay that way for the final. I’ve got two days to prepare and visualise my game.’

Murray, meanwhile, and Federer — who says he always watches the night matches — have two days to erase the memory of what they saw. A player at the very top of his game; in his physical prime with no quarter given. Djokjovic is the man to beat here, make no mistake.

If Murray is to win his second Slam it will take the form of his life, greater even than his performance at Flushing Meadows, one thinks.

Memories of the Olympic Games may be fading for some but Andy Murray was trying to rekindle them as he prepared for another colossal showdown with Roger Federer at the Australian Open.

Prior to his semi-final he was happy to think back to that heady weekend of early August when he added to the medal tally of Team GB with a spectacular demolition of Federer at the All England Club, his first win over the great Swiss in a best-of-five-sets match.

Murray has not beaten Federer in three attempts at a Grand Slam, but the Olympic final was the next best thing, and it underlined to him how he needs to keep his man down if Murray has taken a decisive lead.

Golden boy: Andy Murray jumps for joy after victory over Roger Federer on Centre Court

He came close to driving the advantage home in the Wimbledon final, and knows that nothing less than a clinical performance will do if he is to take his place against the rampant Novak Djokovic for a repeat of last September’s US Open final.

‘I think the Olympics was good for me mentally,’ said Murray prior to playing what would be his first match under lights this tournament. ‘To have played Roger over five sets in the gold medal match and to have won quickly and convincingly was good for me to realise that once you get ahead of these guys you really need to stay on top of them — that is the difference between winning and losing against the best players.’

Of his three Grand Slam contests against Federer — all finals — he admits the first, at Flushing Meadows in 2008, was a write-off. The second in Australia involved going down in three relatively tight sets and Wimbledon 2011 was a major leap forward.

‘The Wimbledon final (when Federer came back to win from a set down) was a good one, it was very close and could have gone the other way. When I played him here in the 2011 final I had a few chances as well. Maybe I’ve just not converted as many big points as I need to against him in the Slams and that’s where his experience has probably told.’

Learning curve: An emotional Murray reflects on defeat to Federer a month before

But mental wherewithal is something Murray has acquired vatloads of in the past 12 months, and while the triumph in New York was a career-affirming event, he also looks at last summer’s Wimbledon final — when he was the first home player to appear in one since Bunny Austin in 1938 — as an enormous experience to put in the bank.

‘I learned a lot from that match, I went through some things that I hadn’t really been through before. I won my first set in a Slam final, I had my chances in the second and then there was the delay with the roof.

'Regardless of what I said at the time there was pretty significant pressure on me that day and it is very unlikely I will play another match in my career when I was under as much pressure as that.

‘I was very emotional at the end but I felt like I handled the match and the situation pretty well, and then I played some of my best tennis a few weeks afterwards at the Olympics.’

The huge emotional overhang in that match was provided by the ghost of Fred Perry, whom he was finally to emulate two months later. Now, Murray stands to equal Perry’s mark of 105 Grand Slam singles wins if he could beat Federer, although he acknowledged that Perry losing his amateur status for the back end of his career makes the comparison simplistic.

The next pair in his tally will be somewhat more difficult to notch up than the last five achieved over the previous 10 days, the small matter of beating the world No 2 and 1.

After Murray had won the US Open, the symmetry with his coach Ivan Lendl’s career was obvious in that it had come in his fifth final at one of the big four.

That night in New York, Lendl said little to his charge but reminded him that he himself had gone on to lose his next two title matches at a Slam and that he wanted him to avoid that fate.

First he needs to get there, but Lendl’s career — he went on to win seven more eventually — is part of the worrying (for Murray) historical pattern showing no man in the modern era has managed to follow up their first major win with one immediately afterwards.

Sloane Stephens advanced to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with a 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 win over Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia.

The 19-year-old American is into the quarter-finals at a major for the first time.

Sloane ranger: American teen Stephens is through to the quarter finals

Determined: Stephens beat Jovanovski in three sets

In the third set featuring five breaks of serve, Stephens broke at love in the 12th game and then held serve in the final game to close out the match in 1hr, 53min.

The 29th-seeded Stephens could face third seed Serena Williams, one of her childhood heroes, in her next match.

The 15-time Grand Slam winner was playing No 14-ranked Maria Kirilenko in a fourth-round match later on Monday at Rod Laver Arena.

Out: Jovanovski crashed out at the fourth round stage

The 25 year-old Scot has not dropped a set in four matches after this 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 victory that took an hour and 35 minutes, but there is the sense that he has not quite hit the form of last summer that took him to the Wimbledon final, Olympic gold and the US Open title.

In truth he has not really needed to, but will now have to start cranking his level up as the gradient is getting steeper.

Belter: Andy Murray powered his way past Gilles Simon and into the last eight of the Australian Open

Onwards and upwards: Murray celebrates after making light work of beating Simon

Not that his next opponent, another Frenchman in world No 36 Jeremy Chardy, is the most terrifying-looking foe to face in the quarter finals of a Grand Slam.

He got through earlier with a four set win over Italian No 1 Andreas Seppi but has earned his progression primarily through his third round dismissal of sixth seed Juan Martin Del Potro, so clearly has the capacity to upset some of the best players.

Certainly more than this version of the weary Simon, who was unable to cause problems partly due to the deep-seated fatigue in his limbs resulting from an epic match in the previous round.

'Obviously I didn't know how he would be, he is one of the best movers on the tour normally but he was struggling a bit today,' said Murray, who knows the next match will be inevitably harder.

'Chardy has got two good wins under his belt and I lost to him the last time I played him (last summer in Cincinatti, after the Olympics) so I know it is going to be tough.'

Sign him up: Murray had time for a few autographs on his way back to the changing room

Beyond that there could be a semi-final against Roger Federer, although the great Swiss could not take things lightly in his fourth round that was being played later in the day against Canadian Milos Raonic.

Even if Simon had been totally fit this is not a match he would have relished, given that he has lost nine times out of 10 to Murray in his career and that his sole success came on their first meeting more than five years ago.

He was carrying the four hours and 47 minutes that it took to see off Gael Monfils in his previous round in his relatively spindley legs that usually ferry him in nimble fashion around the court and allow him to deliver nicely timed and often creative groundstrokes.

Take that: Murray fires another one back at Simon on his way to a comfortable victory Down Under

So it was really a question of Murray getting his head round the circumstances of the match, which can be a trickier exercise than expected when you know that there is something not quite right about your opponent.

The 25 year-old Scot clearly had it in his mind that he was going to make the classy Frenchman do lots of running.

In fact if any ATP Tour player could pick anyone they would rather play less when tired then Murray would be right at the top of the list, such is his skill at 'ragging' opponents around the court.

Blown away: Simon could not cope with Murray in Melbourne

He broke Simon straightaway but then immediately handed the advantage back when he was broken back to love.

Although he has gone through the tournament with a record of 12-0 in sets his serve has been threatened a little too often for comfort, notably by Ricardas Berankis in the previous round.

Hisense Arena, the secondary court of Melbourne Park, was hardly rocking but then it rarely does, being the least atmospheric of any major court at the Grand Slams and better suited to things like cycling, for which it is also designed.

Murray mania: The Scot had his fan club backing him during his win over Simon

Murray broke for 2-1 and had two more points to go 5-2 up which went begging but then he broke again to take the first set in 36 minutes.

Simon was making a token effort to try and finish points off quickly and showed some of his glorious touch around the net but there was no way he could compete from the back court with the world No 3.

Despite that he pulled Murray back from 2-0 down in the second, helped by the British player making an awful hash of a simple overhead.

That's my boy: Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears enjoyed his victory over Simon on Monday

Support: Simon wasn't alone during his heavy defeat by Murray

Struggling to quite flex his legs, Simon hit a limp sliced forehand into the net to allow his opponent to go 3-1 up and from there the set was wrapped up in 31 minutes.

In the third the Frenchman began to have rubs on his thighs at the changeovers, a dubious practice that stretches the boundaries of the rules, and which was seen in the Djokovic-Wawrinka epic the previous night. On this occasion it mattered little and the match was quickly wrapped up.

It was not a contest that will live long in the memory and perhaps Murray would like to reach for a higher gear now he is three matches away from the title – not that this meeting really allowed him to.

Feeling the strain: Simon required treatment as Murray battered him during their fourth-round tie

Novak Djokovic made it three wins out of three at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals to qualify for the semi-finals at London's O2 Arena.

The world number one was in impressive form as he saw off Tomas Berdych 6-2 7-6 (8/6), saving three set points in the second set.

Djokovic is now guaranteed to top Group A while Berdych is out, and Andy Murray only needs a set against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga tonight to ensure he will also qualify for the last four.

Serb and volley: Djokovic has advanced to the semi-finals

Berdych had beaten Djokovic only once in 11 previous meetings, in the semi-finals of Wimbledon in 2010, and he was soon under pressure.

Djokovic's famed returns were rushing the Czech and, although he clawed his way back from 0-40 in the third game, a fourth chance arrived and the world number one took it.

Djokovic, whose best performance at the O2 was a semi-final appearance in 2010, looked extremely sharp and he made it five games in a row before Berdych finally stopped the rot.

The top seed comfortably held to win the set, though, and with that assured himself qualification for the last four.

Berdych appeared to have no answer when Djokovic broke again in the third game of the second set but he began to take the fight to his opponent a bit more and hit back to level at 2-2.

Czech mate: The big-server fought back in the second set

The crowd were keen to see a good match and got behind the Czech, who saved more break points to edge ahead in the set.

Berdych was beginning to match Djokovic from the back of the court and making his extra power count, and he made a flying start to the tie-break, winning five of the first six points.

But Djokovic did not give up and saved two set points on his own serve before another trademark return at Berdych's feet levelled matters at 6-6.

The top seed then added a fourth point in a row and clinched victory when Berdych fired a return long.

Daily Mail

There is no shame in losing to Novak Djokovic, the finest tennis player in the world right now, but the length of Andy Murray's face and his fuming demeanour after doing so told you how painful he finds it.

That is what happens when you feel you are one half of the biggest rivalry your sport has to offer, and the British No 1 was beyond consolation after succumbing in their seventh meeting of the season.

True to form, it was long and it was very close, but at the end Djokovic was fractionally the stronger as he won 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 before an O2 Arena full to bursting, leaving him top of their group at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Setback: Andy Murray was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the ATP world tour finals

Two hours and 34 minutes of protracted combat leaves the British player most probably needing to win his last round-robin tomorrow against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - a straight sets victory would seal his passage - after the Frenchman lost in three to Tomas Berdych.

There were no such problems for Sheffield's Jonny Marray, who earlier combined with Fred Nielsen to beat second seeds Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor 7-6, 4-6, 12-10 to register their second win and  guarantee a slot in the semi-finals.

It could, though, be another year when Murray fails to make the last four of an event that confirmed it would be staying in London until 2015, partly in his honour and partly because of the capital's insatiable appetite for top-class sport.

 

 

Of course, the forgiving nature of this format means he and Djokovic could yet meet again in the final next Monday night, but the indications are that Roger Federer will win Group B, and he will be the tougher opponent in the semis for whoever comes second.

Federer, playing on Thursday against the indefatigable David Ferrer, is keen to dismiss talk of the  Djokovic-Murray contest being the pre-eminent one in the sport, and nowhere is he more likely to make the point than in an indoor environment.

The rapturous welcome Murray received from the crowd - noticeably more than on  Monday - told of how eagerly anticipated his contests with the 25-year-old Serb have become.

Next year dislodging him from the world No 1 spot is high on the Scot's shopping list. But since beating him at the US Open, the evidence continues to rack up that this is going to be very difficult.

Out of reach: Murray's serve was formidable early on, but dropped off in the later sets

'The intensity of my matches with Novak has been extremely high this year,' said Murray.

'The last two minutes of today were probably what decided it. I need to make sure that regardless of how tough this loss was, I respond well in the next match.'

In what has been a breakthrough year for Murray, much has been made of his improvement but Djokovic has not stood still either.

The most startling aspect was that he came to the net 30 times compared to only seven visits by his opponent, who should be at least as good in that area.

The decisive point of the match was probably when the home favourite led 2-1 in the second and forced a break point, which Djokovic saved with a volley that shaved the corner. In the next game, Murray, now facing break point and perhaps not wishing to be outdone, suddenly decided to serve and volley and missed it by less than an inch.

Taking a tumble: Murray was eventually beaten 7-5 in the final set, despite breaking back

Tropical heatwaves hit Dunblane about as often as he chases his serve into the net.

'Those are the decisions you make, if they come off you're told you're a genius, if you miss them then you're an idiot,' reflected Murray in exasperated tone.

It was actually a pretty rash move that might have had a bit of machismo in it, part of a curious match which rarely saw both  men at the top of their game simultaneously.

The British player started beautifully, breaking straight away and never having his lead threatened due to the consistency of his serve, which looked impregnable.

Had Djokovic been broken early in the second this would probably have ended up as an outstanding win, but the Serb is the ultimate competitor and he soaked up the pressure and drew ahead as  Murray's serve deteriorated and the unforced error count rose.

The Scot was forced to hang on grimly until he broke back for 4-4, and he came within two points of victory at 5-4 before Djokovic again showed why he is No 1 by breaking a final time.

Wimbledon champions Marray and Nielsen again showed their liking for the big occasion in  taking out the vastly experienced pair of Nestor and Mirnyi.

After clinching it on a second match point they are the first to go through, and despite being the lowliest qualifiers they have done it with a match to spare.

Jonny Marray and Roger Federer do not have much in common besides being able to call themselves reigning Wimbledon champions - one of them having earned more than a hundred times more prize-money than the other from tennis.

Yet as relative prince and pauper they got similar receptions as they entered the O2 Arena on Tuesday, Federer acknowledging the crowd with his usual regal wave while Britain's unlikely doubles hero raised his hand in somewhat self-conscious fashion.

Out of the shadows: Jonny Marray and Frederik Nielsen (left) enter the O2 Arena on Tuesday

Marray is still not used to this sort of thing, certainly not in the manner of his near namesake Andy Murray, who on Wednesday afternoon takes on Novak Djokovic in the pivotal match of Group A at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

The 31-year-old from Sheffield is far from one of life's natural attention grabbers, yet as the warm-up act in the afternoon session with Danish partner Frederik Nielsen, he did just about everything he could to steal the scene from Federer.

Having recovered from 5-1 down in the deciding 'Super' tiebreak, Marray saved a match point with a badminton-style overhead at 9-10 that set his pairing up to win 6-4, 6-7, 12-10 against the more fancied Indian team of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna.

Centre of attention: Marray and Frederik Nielsen celebrate their victory on Tuesday

Even the most diehard Federer fan will have admitted that it turned out to be a slightly more pulsating contest than their man's 6-3, 6-1 destruction of the bewildered Janko Tipsarevic.

Federer looked every inch the player whose on-court career earnings total £47million, a sum you could more than quadruple to find his overall worth. He has given early notice that he will not be surrendering his title easily.

As for Marray and Nielsen, playing their last tournament together before the Dane concentrates on his singles career back at Challenger circuit level, they are happy  trying to drink it all in, for the reason that Nielsen stated: 'When I'm playing my singles tournament that nobody gives a rat's a**e about, I'm sure it's going to be back to reality.'

Roger that: Federer cruised to victory over Tipsarevic at the O2 Arena

His English partner knows too well that level of the sport, and has been enjoying his five-star hotel on the river and the  private boat transportation down the Thames.

His contrasting experiences include playing a low-tier event in small town Uzbekistan in 2005, when the army brutally suppressed anti-government protests.

'We were staying in flats of local residents, and there was an uprising. 'It was a six-hour drive from the capital Tashkent and the British Embassy had to come in and drive us out in an armed convoy. It's all character - building stuff, isn't it?'

Double team: The pair are playing their last tournament together before Nielsen focuses on his singles career

Marray's form dipped in the wake of Wimbledon but he played well enough yesterday for his pair to have won in straight sets rather than being pushed to the brink.

Still without a partner for next season, he has actually advertised for someone on the ATP website and sees himself as being in the shop window.

'It's not bearing fruit yet, but if I do well here I might become more attractive,' he said. Nothing that has happened in the opening salvoes of this event suggests that the winner will come from anywhere else than the triumvirate of Murray, Djokovic and Federer.

On yesterday's evidence the Swiss is going to win his group, so there is a big incentive for the other two to finish top of theirs and avoid him in the semi-finals.

It will be the sixth meeting of Murray and Djokovic this year and the last three have been colossal scraps, starting with that tense Olympic semi-final at Wimbledon, which finished in near darkness and a 7-5, 7-5 win for the British No 1.

'That was a big match for me,' said Murray. 'I knew how much the top players wanted to do well at the Olympics and how much it meant, so to beat him was big.'

That set Murray up for the epic five-setter in the US Open final, and he could have been going into today with three straight wins over his longtime rival had he taken one of five match points in their Shanghai final last month.

The indoor conditions are probably more to his liking today so, regardless of the rankings, the 25-year-old Scot will start as marginal favourite.

Andy Murray will meet Novak Djokovic in the group stages of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals after the draw was made in London.

As No 3 seed, the US Open champion was guaranteed to face either Djokovic or Roger Federer in the round robin stages of the season-ending tournament, which begins at the O2 on Monday.

As well as Djokovic, Murray will also face fifth seed Tomas Berdych and seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in what looks significantly the tougher of the two groups.

In line: Novak Djokovic (left) will meet Great Britain's Andy Murray (centre) in the group stages of the ATP World Tour Finals in London

Ferrer is in Group B with defending champion Federer, who will lose his world number one ranking to Djokovic on Monday, sixth seed Juan Martin Del Potro and eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic.

The draw guarantees at least one meeting between Murray and Djokovic, continuing a rivalry that has quickly developed into the sport's most compelling of the moment.

Warming up: Murray and coach Ivan Lendl in London

As well as the US Open final, where Murray won his first grand slam title in a dramatic five-set match, the pair also met in the final of the Shanghai Masters last month.

On that occasion, Murray held five match points but it was Djokovic who eventually came out on top, and the Scot will hope to end an unwelcome habit of losing matches he was one point away from winning.

His third-round defeat to Jerzy Janowicz of Poland at the Paris Masters last week made it three successive defeats since the US Open in which he has held match points.

All smiles: Djokovic (centre right) was with Murray (left) at the official launch of the tournament on Saturday

Clash of the titans: Djokovic and Murray have served up some classics of late

Murray will be looking to end his season on a high with a first title at the World Tour Finals, a tournament Federer has won a record six times.

In four previous appearances, Murray has twice reached the semi-finals, most recently in 2010, when he lost an epic three-setter to Nadal.

The tournament is being held at the O2 for the fourth time after moving from Shanghai on a five-year contract in 2009, and organisers are expecting record attendances.

There is a prize pot of more than £1million available for an undefeated champion and 1,500 ranking points.

Daily Mail

Time waits for no man — not even Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal — and increasingly it looks like the rivalry between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic has become the  pre-eminent one in tennis.

At a stage of the year falling awkwardly between the US Open and the climax of the season in London — when players are usually tired, injured or complaining — Murray and Djokovic threw everything at each other in Sunday’s final of the Shanghai Masters.

Even their rackets, one violently smashed by each player, were sacrificed in the course of another thrilling encounter that was not far from the equal of their epic at Flushing Meadows last month that saw Murray break his Grand Slam duck.

Fury: Murray smashes his racket after missing a point against Djokovic in the second set tiebreak

D'oh: Murray reacts after missing a point as the match slipped away against his Serbian opponent

This was no calendar space-filler, and he came out on the wrong end of the result as a 5-7, 7-6, 6-3 loser against the unyielding Serb (right), who emphatically showed that it is going to be anything but an easy march towards the world No 1 position for Murray following his New York triumph.

Aggressive tennis of the highest quality saw Djokovic win after three hours and 21 minutes, thus becoming the man to end the 25-year-old Scot’s run of victories in China.

He had won this event in the last two years.

Novak was at it too! Djokovic smashed his racket several times on the court in a fit of frustration

Federer has much to prove now in the final European indoor events coming up, the environment in which he is normally so strong, and it is expected he will line up against Murray in Basle, Paris and the Barclays ATP World Finals at the O2 Arena.

Nadal is still unable to name a date when he will resume practising, let alone playing tournaments, and he will know there are formidable challenges afoot when he is finally able to return.

The one thing that should concern Murray is that for his second defeat running, as in his Japan Open loss to Milos Raonic, he had match points that could not be claimed.

What a year: But Murray couldn't add the Shanghai crown to his Olympic gold medal and US Open titles

Eyes on the prize: Murray hits a backhand against Djokovic in the Shanghai Masters final on Sunday

The outcome was that he was unable to secure the kind of ranking points that will be necessary to achieve his ambition of being ranked in the top position next year.

‘It was one, two centimetres between winning and losing,’ he said afterwards. ‘It was so close. I’ve lost tougher matches than that before and I’m sure I will recover. Both of us played some unbelievable tennis.’

Indeed they did, and there was even a 20-minute tiebreak that came close to matching the one played out at Flushing Meadows. This time Djokovic took it 13-11, saving four match points mostly due to his own stunning strokeplay rather than Murray faltering.

Moment to savour: Djokovic celebrates after beating Murray in three spectacular sets

The Briton was more to blame for the weak second serve that was attacked when he had another match point earlier at 5-4 in the second. That came just after Djokovic had saved himself at 30-0 down with a remarkable ‘tweener’ (between-the-legs shot) that kept the rally going.

Murray, who has had a heavy cold this week, looked weary towards the end and had no response when he was broken for 2-3 in the decider. Thus he was denied a victory which, following the Olympics and US Open, could have justified his fans claiming he was the best player in the world.

Both men now return to Europe for the briefest of breaks before the last few tournaments that are likely to have an element of ‘last man standing’ about them.

Shanghai noon: The world Nos 2 and 3 duel in China in front of a packed house

Credit: Daily Mail

Andy Murray dismantled world No 1 Roger Federer in straight sets in the semi-final to continue his remarkable winning run at the Shanghai Masters.

The two-time defending champion made it into another final at the tournament following a high-class display in a 6-4 6-4 win.

The Scot, who has never lost in Shanghai, returned superbly to set up a title match with Novak Djokovic, the man he beat to win the US Open last month.

Shanghai surprise: Murray marches on to the final after disposing with Federer

The world number three kept his focus amid some confusion at the start of the second set. He saw six break points go begging and was told the roof would be closed as light rain started to fall.

As the roof was closing, Federer went on to hold his serve, but the rain quickly stopped, the roof reopened before it could shut fully and the Swiss then had no answer to Murray's power and accuracy.

The rain returned before Murray served for the match and the roof was closed completely this time. A substantial delay led to both players going off court, but it could not derail the Scot as he closed out the match on his return.

He started like a train, breaking in the opening game of the match with some booming shots.
Federer, though, responded in kind, levelling the scores after his opponent had fought back from 0-30 down to 30-30 only to surrender the game with a weak unforced error.

Murray had another chance to break in game three, but the Swiss dug in to hold. The world number one was threatening to find his rhythm, but Murray was also looking strong and a huge forward winner which wrong-footed Federer helped him get back to 2-2.

Break in play: Rain caused havoc with the match which was eventually won by the Scot

And he then raced into a 0-40 lead before a Federer double fault gave him a second break.
Four successive holds gave Murray the chance to serve for the set at 5-4 and he did so with little fuss.

The game of the match came at the start of the second set, both for drama, confusion and controversy. Murray carved out six break points thanks to some superb returning and stunning passing shots, only for Federer to save each one.

At deuce number seven, Federer pointed out to the umpire drops of rain were starting to fall and claimed the court was becoming slippery.

Federer got his wish for the roof to be closed, much to Murray's apparent frustration, perhaps a reminder of the Wimbledon final when he lost to Federer under the Centre Court roof.

Play continued while the roof was closing and Murray got a seventh break point, only for Federer to save it at the end of a truly incredible, marathon point.

Both players looked certain to win it at one stage only for their opponent to somehow stay alive before Federer finally ended it with a cute drop shot which Murray, for once, was just unable to get to.

Put it there: Federer congratulates Murray who is yet to be beaten in Shanghai

Heavens above: Murray was made to wait top complete the victory over the world No 1

And the Swiss then sent down an ace to hold for 1-0.

As the rain relented, Murray got the good news the roof would open again and he made it 1-1. Both players held for 2-2 before the Scot got his nose in front again, breaking for a 3-2 lead.

Murray consolidated his advantage to go 4-2 in front and maintained that break. There was yet more confusion and a long delay while the roof was closed properly before Murray was finally given the chance to serve out the match, which he did on his first match point.

Earlier, Djokovic was in dominant form as he beat Tomas Berdych. The Serbian broke early in each set and, despite a brief dip in form when 5-1 up in the first, he eased to a 6-3 6-4 win.

Berdych started uncertainly on his serve and was punished as Djokovic broke to lead 2-0, before consolidating with a stylish hold.

The Czech finally found a couple of big serves to get himself on the board, but errors saw him broken for a second time in game six, although he hit back to prevent Djokovic serving out the set at the first attempt.

It never rains but it pours: The roof remained open which caused a number of stoppages

He forced him to do so again after holding from deuce and went 0-30 up with a superb forehand return winner, but Djokovic levelled with two good serves.

Berdych forced break point with a ferocious passing shot, but sent two overly aggressive forehands long to finally give Djokovic a set point, which he took.

Djokovic broke dominantly in the third game of the second set and took his lead to 4-2, though Berdych missed an opportunity at 30-30 when he sent a passing shot long, having opened the court up.

Fourth seed Berdych was angered by a line call as he was taken to deuce in the next game, but recovered his composure to hold serve. Djokovic was left to serve the match out at 5-4 and he did so emphatically to love.

Repeat performance: Djokovic beat Berdych to set-up the clash with Murray