Comeback against Ferrer pleases Wawrinka

Yesterday, finally, it was Nadal close to his bullying best and Murray was broken to love at the start of the second set as he sweated in what felt like a warmer than usual O2. With the momentum well and truly with Wawrinka, the Swiss broke in the first game of the second set to seize the initiative.

He soon faced the media, and highlighted two key elements: He had served poorly, and Nadal had played perhaps better than all year.

Fourth seed Stan Wawrinka was in a happy mood after overcoming David Ferrer in their group-stage clash at the ATP World Tour Finals on Wednesday.

In the other group, Roger Federer has already qualified for the semi-finals, while world number one Novak Djokovic needs to beat Tomas Berdych in his last round-robin match on Thursday. “Just another step for me be able to play at that level against such a great player is good news”.

Stanislas Wawrinka has said that he is “looking forward” to facing Andy Murray in a must-win clash at the ATP World Tour Finals in London on Friday. All very odd. It was explained as “I had a few hair in my eye and I wanted to get rid of it”.

His first two match points went begging, the second a guilt-edged smash which he pulled well wide, but he clinched it on the third.

“Was not at the right time to know that”, Nadal said before praising Murray’s ingenuity with the scissors. The key was in the first set.

“I didn’t help myself out there”.

Nadal said he didn’t notice Murray’s actions, but laughed when he was told that Murray said his hair was bothering him.

The 28-year-old’s vision had looked clear enough at the start of the match, breaking serve in the opening game, only to drop his own serve immediately as Nadal worked the angles. I didn’t think I made that many mistakes.

Muray added: “I served extremely low percentage, maybe lowest percentage I served the whole year in any match”.

But he hit straight back and the penetration and placement on his shots soon had Murray on the back foot. “I’m trying to win every match that I play”. For me it is important to keep going in the same way.

When asked if “the slightly curious business of cutting your hair” indicated he might be distracted by the Davis Cup final in Ghent at the end of the month, Murray bit. I played a very good first game.

He led Wawrinka 5-2 in the first, holding a set point in the ninth game.