A BAD KNIGHT Sir Andy can’t be Qatar hero

PHIL GIRVAN – and both began in aggressive fashion. Murray (right) had the first chance to break but the impressive Djokovic, who required treatment for a bleeding finger at 30-30 in the third game, shrugged off his minor injury to deny his opponent.

He then won four points in a row to come from 40-15 down in the eighth game and take Murray’s serve before clinching the opening set.

Djokovic then looked set to wrap up the match after breaking Murray again in the second as he built a 5-3 lead.

But the world No.2 was given a taste of his own medicine as Murray won four straight games to level.

Murray had never beaten Djokovic in 19 matches when he had dropped the opening set but it seemed the momentum could be with him this time.

Djokovic, though, found an extra gear and secured the decisive break in game seven.

Murray said: “It was a tough one to lose but a great way to start the year. I think it was high-level tennis.

“Some points were physically tough but it was a great way to start the new year playing like that and I look forward to the next few weeks.

“I’ve had a fantastic week here, I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Djokovic said: “It was definitely one of the best ways to start the year. He turned it around in the second set and all the way to the last shot you never know with Andy. “It’s a very physical battle, we’re both going to need a little bit of time to recover from that and get ready for the Australian Open. “It means a lot because in the last three months of 2016, I didn’t play consistently well. “To start off the year with a win against your biggest rival is a dream start so I hope to get the best out of it.”