Tennis fans in uncongenial time zones missed a treat today as Andy Murray battled, bested and finally dominated Rafael Nadal for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory and the Tokyo title, recovering from the loss of the first set to turn in one of the most impressive performances any player has given in recent memory.



At a point in the season when players are often battered and weary, it was a pleasure to see both men looking so hungry from the start. One might have expected a more confident beginning from Murray, who strolled to the Bangkok title last week, but it was the world No. 4 who faltered early, turning in a dreadful first service game to go down an early and potentially fatal break. Nadal looked pumped up to the point of being jittery, pulling off some beautiful volleys, but Murray came back quickly and strongly, recovering the commitment to aggressive play which has marked his Asian swing so far. Nadal served out the set with one poor service game the difference between the two men.



The second set was just as closely contested. Murray finally broke Nadal’s serve for 3-1 with magnificent attacking returns, only to go 0-40 down as he attempted to consolidate. Three huge aces and a cocky, mirthless smile sealed the switch in momentum thoroughly in the British No. 1’s favor; when Murray is enjoying his own brilliance, watch out. He quickly attained a level of domination from the baseline that left Nadal floundering. Breaking again for 2-5, a succession of fearsome backhands took Murray 2-0 up in the third and final set. It was a masterclass in smart, patient, aggressive tennis from Murray, and a shell-shocked Nadal won only four points in the third set as the Scot shut him out effortlessly for the victory.



The abiding memories of this match will be of Murray’s sublime tennis, anchored by the backhand which, like Novak Djokovic's, was both blinding in attack and solid as a rock. His returning took Nadal’s feet out from under him—the world No. 2 won a mere 43 percent of points behind his first serve for the match (he was 0 for 10 on first-serve points in the final set)—and once Murray began to slap forehand winners seemingly at will from behind the baseline, it was all over.

One point of concern for Nadal fans will be the extent to which he appeared to retreat into his shell in the third set and his failure to stop hitting the ball to Murray’s backhand, apparently under the impression that it would break down. But I doubt that a better performance from Nadal would have done more than kept the scoreline closer in the third set. It was simply too good from Murray, who earned his ninth consecutive victory.



Nadal still dominates the head-to-head and respective career achievements, of course. But there are no negatives for Murray in a performance like this. Nor are there in securing his second title in two weeks and closing in on the No. 3 ranking. All in all, it was worth getting up at 6 a.m. for.



—Hannah Wilks