ABU DHABI: World number one Andy Murray fell to a surprise defeat to David Goffin in the semi-finals of the season-opening Mubadala World Tennis Championships on Friday.
Briton Murray, who had won all five of his previous meetings with the 11th-ranked Belgian, was beaten 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
“I served really well and that was key to staying in the match,” said 26-year-old Goffin.
“Andy returns so well, puts the pressure on you so that makes it tough to serve so well all the match.
“I maintained my level with the serve, felt really good on the baseline and came to the net when I needed to.”
Goffin will next meet either Canadian Milos Raonic or Spaniard Rafael Nadal in Saturday’s final, with Murray up against the loser of that semi-final.
Nadal, a three-time winner, is making his return to competition after a 2016 season plagued by physical problems.
In the match for fifth-place in the six-man field, France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Czech Thomas Berdych 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 10-3. --AFP