Djokovic, Nadal and Murray multiple winners of Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Novak Djokovic has won the title three times while Nadal and Murray have done so twice each.

Novak Djokovic collects the trophy from Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development in 2013. Lee Hoagland / The National

2009: Andy Murray bt Rafael Nadal 6-4, 5-7, 6-3

It was an all-star cast with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who had won three of the four majors that year, in attendance alongside Andy Roddick and James Blake, and Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko, who had clinched the ATP Year End Championships a few weeks earlier at London. But it was Murray who walked away with the top honours in this first battle of champions. First, the Scot brushed Blake aside 6-2, 6-2 and then beat Federer 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 in the semis. The final was another engrossing affair as Murray beat Federer and Nadal in the same tournament for the first time in his career.

2010: Rafael Nadal bt Robin Soderling 7-6, 7-5

Federer and Nadal were both back in the capital and so was Davydenko, along with Soderling, David Ferrer and Stan (then Stanislas) Wawrinka. True to form, Nadal, winner of three of the four majors that year, took the crown, defeating the Soderling in straight sets. Federer, for the second year in a row, was beaten in the semis, this time by Soderling 6-7, 7-6, 6-2.

Also from the Mubadala World Tennis Championship

2011 (Jan): Rafael Nadal bt Roger Federer 7-6, 7-6

The third edition of the tournament brought three newcomers – Tomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Marcos Baghdatis – to Abu Dhabi, while Federer, Nadal and Soderling decided, once again, to start their season in the UAE. Federer managed to win his semi-final to set up a dream finale with Nadal. The two masters went on to produce a true masterpiece in the final, playing some of the best tennis ever seen in this part of the world.

2011 (Dec): Novak Djokovic bt David Ferrer 6-2, 6-1

Making his first appearance at Zayed Sports City’s International Tennis Centre, Djokovic capped a remarkable year on the tour with two emphatic wins to clinch the title. First, the Serb nonchalantly brushed aside Federer 6-2, 6-1 in the semis and then repeated that scoreline against Ferrer, who had beaten Nadal 6-3, 6-2 to make the final.

2012: Novak Djokovic bt Nicolas Almagro 6-7, 6-3, 6-4

For the first time there was no Federer or Nadal in the tournament line-up, but Nicolas Almagro made sure their absence was not felt. Ranked No 11 in the world at the time, the Spaniard subdued Andy Murray’s conqueror Janko Tipsarevic 2-6, 7-6, 6-2 in the semis and then took Djokovic to three sets in the final. That opening set of the final is the only one that Djokovic has lost in four appearances at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.

2013: Novak Djokovic bt David Ferrer 7-5, 6-2

Nadal was back for his fifth appearance at Abu Dhabi but failed to stop the Djokovic juggernaut. For the second time in a row, Nadal’s journey was cut short by Ferrer in the semis. But, once again, Ferrer came up short against Djokovic.

2015: Andy Murray walkover Novak Djokovic

Struck down by fever, Djokovic was unable to take court for the final against Murray and the default brought down the curtains on his impressive three-year reign at the tournament. The Serb had earlier defeated Wawrinka 6-1, 6-2 in the semis, and Murray blanked Nadal, who was returning after an injury break, 6-2, 6-0.

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