Andy Murray made a statement for the 2015 season by easily defeating Rafael Nadal to reach the final at an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.

Although the grandly-titled Mubadala World Tennis Championship carries no ranking points, both men were fully committed and Murray showed he is in fine shape physically and mentally with a 6-2 6-0 victory.

In the final he will face Novak Djokovic who beat Stan Waw-rinka 6-1 6-2.

Murray struggled past Nadal’s countryman Feliciano Lopez in the first round on Thursday but looked sharp from the start as he showed off the impact of his winter training camp in Miami.

Nadal, by contrast, was clearly rusty in his first match since the appendectomy that brought an early end to his 2014 season two months ago.

It is the first time Murray has beaten one of his ‘big-four’ rivals since defeating Djokovic in the final of Wimbledon in 2013.

Murray said: “It was a very tough match. There were many long games. It shouldn’t have been that scoreline. I just managed to win the important points.

“Sometimes it goes that way.

“You never know how you’re going to feel until you get on the match court. I’m pleased.”