World number one Andy Murray won his first title of 2017 with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over unseeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the Dubai Tennis Championships final. Murray lost his first two service games of the match but overcame that poor start to win in Dubai for the first time.
Murray, who had won 12 of his past 13 matches against the Spaniard, started slowly and was broken in the first game before breaking back in what was a nervous start by both players. The heavy-hitting Verdasco cracked a series of powerful winners to break an uncomfortable-looking Murray again in the third game and consolidated to hold for a 3-1 lead.
Murray, helped by a string of Verdasco errors, Murray took the first set 6-3. Murray began the second set slowly began to dictate from the baseline on back of an improved serve to open up a 3-1 lead which he did not relinquish. Murray sealed victory with a powerful serve to claim his 45th career title.
