Nadal eclipses plucky Murray

In a match of the very highest class, the world No 2 took two-anda- quarter hours to emerge triumphant with a 7-6, 6-4 win that put him through to the fourth round of the Masters event here.

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Mastered: Andy Murray feels the agony of a straight sets defeat by Rafael Nadal in Madrid last night

For lengthy, glorious spells this was tennis as the gods decreed it and it was unfortunate for Murray that Nadal had his French Open head on as they fashioned rallies of breathtaking quality.

The Scot's injury-hit year may now have been largely killed off as the result was surely the death blow to his hopes of making the year-end Masters Cup, but this was some marker to lay down for next season.

It would have taken something special for Murray to leave an imprint on this momentous sporting week, but how he tried.

One more converted chance might have tilted the match his way, or a few extra percentage points on his first serve.

The final points tally of 87-85 in Nadal's favour told just how close it had been, as did the joyous victory rituals before a packed crowd of nearly 10,000 that spoke of his relief.

As far as the Spaniard is concerned, Murray already belongs at his rarefied level. "He is one of the best players in the world.

"He is an unbelievable talent and he really knows how to play," he said.

Murray was left to rue the break opportunities denied him. "I had a lot of chances and didn't convert them.

"That's something I have got to learn from," he said. "When you play one of the top five guys you have got to convert the pressure, but he showed why he is so hard to beat.

"I know there are a few things I have got to work on for next year, but it's pleasing to play at this level again after the injury I had.

"The consistency of my first serve is probably the main thing. When my first serve was working well, the other guy didn't have a chance."

That is a fair summation and why the opening six games looked like an exercise in survival for the French Open champion, who had played only one match since his fourth-round exit in the U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows.

Murray wasted no time in showing just how his game had clicked back together this week.

As in his almost embarrassingly one-sided routs of Radek Stepanek and Juan Ignacio Chela in previous rounds, he started pumping the aces straight away, with two in the first game.

He immediately started to make headway on Nadal's second serve, an area of vulnerability, and forced three break points.

Having sent down three aces in the fifth game, he created two more break chances, which were both wasted with netted groundstrokes.

The Spaniard's depth of looping shot began to match Murray's flatter groundstrokes and he broke to love for 6-5, only to suffer exactly the same treatment in the next game as the Scot found the postage stamp-sized spots he was aiming for.

The ensuing tiebreak turned at 3-4 when Murray attempted an over-ambitious dropshot and the Madrilenos almost cracked the roof of the Crystal Pavilion when Nadal clinched it 7-5.

This contest crackled with winners and as soon as the Scot had broken at the start of the second, Nadal returned the favour with some scampered retrievals.

But Murray's returns were at such a pitch that he immediately restored the break, giving Nadal uncomfortable reminders of Melbourne in January, when the same opponent arguably should have beaten him in four sets.

With his first serve percentage waning badly, Murray needed all his courtcraft to stay in the match.

The difference between the pair was Nadal's champion ability to pull out something special when it most mattered and he managed to save two more points that would have given Murray a double break at 5-2.

Nadal restored parity for 4-4 and then converted his second match point by drilling the ball past his advancing opponent.

He will now take on David Nalbandian, while Murray is left to contemplate next week's stop on the tour in St Petersburg and a few dreams of what may be possible in 2008.