Andy Murray ‘taking some time to rest’ before shifting focus to season-opener in Abu Dhabi

Andy Murray alongside the ATp World Tour Finals trophy and the trophy for ending the season as the world No 1. Glyn Kirk / AFP

Andy Murray will take some well deserved rest before “shifting focus to next season” which he begins in Abu Dhabi at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in December.

Murray, 29, crowned the finest season of his career on Sunday night by winning the ATP World Tour Finals, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final to ensure he ends the year as the world No 1.

It concludes a year that has seen Murray win Wimbledon for a second time and retain his Olympic title, as well as produce a remarkable end-of-season run of 24 straight victories that earned five titles and saw him surge to the top of the rankings.

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After a few weeks rest, Murray will begin preparations for the 2017 season, starting at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship on December 30. The Scot has a bye into the semi-finals of the six-player tournament and will face the winner of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s quarter-final match with David Goffin.

“I’m now taking some time to rest before shifting focus to the next season, which for me starts in Abu Dhabi,” he said. “I’ve played Tsonga and Goffin a couple of times this season and I know that a final for me in Abu Dhabi certainly isn’t a given.

“I will be watching their Day 1 match closely to see what game they have brought to the tournament as players tend to try new things there. It’s a chance to experiment and put what you’ve been working on in the off-season to the test against some great players, which is what makes it such an exciting tournament.”

Murray, who beat Goffin at the Shanghai Masters last month before a week later defeating Tsonga in the Vienna Open final, will be favourite to reach the final in Abu Dhabi. Having won twice in Abu Dhabi, Murray has the chance to join Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as a three-time winner in the UAE capital.

On the other half of the draw, Nadal will take on Tomas Berdych for a place in the semi-final, where world No 4 Milos Raonic awaits the winner.

For more information about the tournament and to purchase tickets, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.

* Agencies

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