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Defending champion Andy Murray marched into the final of the Madrid Open after defeating home favourite Rafa Nadal for the second successive year. The British world No 2 ended Nadals 13-match unbeaten run on clay after looking back to his best on his favoured surface with victories in Monte Carlo and Barcelona in recent weeks.Murray sealed a devastating 7-5 6-4 success to send him through to Sundays final where he will play Novak Djokovic. Murray broke twice in the opening set to take it and despite squandering a match point at 5-3 in the second he raised his game to get the job done and gain revenge over the Spaniard for his Monte Carlo semi-final defeat last month.Murray fought off a strong challenge by Nadal, serving eight aces and saving 11 break points to win a rematch of last years final and after his victory he told Sky Sports: I think I used my forehand pretty good during the match. I was able to push him back behind the baseline. Murray recorded back-to-back wins over Nadal in the Spanish capital I felt as though I made a lot of returns in play - I didnt make too many mistakes on the return so was able to make him work hard on his service games.Against Rafa, he doesnt serve as hard as everyone else but he puts a lot of pressure on your return because if you dont hit a good one he dictates the points straight away with the forehand. I was able to get some good direction on the forehand and I think that helped me today. Murray celebrates beating home favourite Nadal Murray felt he learned his lessons from his defeat against the 29-year-old in Monte Carlo by trying to stay on top at the beginning of the second set and the British No 1 revealed how he has done his homework in order to develop his technique on his second serve as well as working with his brother Jamies coach Louis Cayer.I spoke to a number of coaches who work with younger players to develop technique, just to understand different grips, different positions to stand on the court as well, the ideal spot to make contact with the serve, Murray said.I spent a bit of time with Louis Cayer before Monte Carlo and watched a lot of videos. Sometimes you can get into bad habits over the years because when you become a professional you dont do as much technical work, its more tactical and physical work. Nadal struggled to take his break point chances in the match Nadal had come from a set down to beat Murray in the semi-finals of Monte Carlo and was forced to try to do the same again as the world No 2 edged a tight first set.Murray surrendered a 5-2 lead, but responded perfectly by breaking Nadal to love with a searing forehand return to take the set. The second set was a tale of break points as Murray saved eight of the nine he faced and pounced on his two opportunities to silence the home crowd in the La Caja Mágica.Nadal missed out on three break points in the opening game of the set and two more as Murray held to lead 3-2. Murray snapped the Spaniards 13-match winning streak on clay Murray then moved to within a game of victory as he broke with his first chance of the second set. However, Nadal battled back from match point down as Murray fired a forehand long to finally break the Scots serve on his ninth break point opportunity of the set.The Spaniard couldnt back up the break, though, as he crashed his attempted smash into the net to bring up two more match points and then also found the net with a forehand to hand Murray victory in just over two hours. Everything worked for Murray Andy Murray learned from Monte Carlo defeat to Rafa Nadal, says Annabel Croft It was an open, competitive match which in the end was decided by a few points. The one that played the big points better won, said Nadal.He made the difference with his serve. I didnt play my best, but I also didnt play badly. I was at a middling level which wasnt enough to beat Murray.Murray, who has won seven of his last eight matches on clay, needs to win the title this weekend to avoid being overtaken by Roger Federer in the rankings. Watch the Madrid Open final on Sky Sports 3 HD from 5.30pm - your home of tennisBy purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices. Also See: As it happened Everything worked for Murray WATCH: Kyrgios hotdog Get a NOW TV pass Cheap Air Max Ireland . - The Denver Broncos kept rookie wide receiver Tavarres King from joining the Green Bay Packers by promoting him to their active roster Tuesday. Cheap Authentic Air Max . The Detroit Tigers star had microfracture surgery Friday to repair the medial and lateral meniscus in his left knee. "I dont want to say it was a surprise," team president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said. http://www.airmaxirelandcheap.com/. I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video. Air Max Ireland Cheap . For the Miami Heat, that was outstanding news. LeBron James scored the last of his 32 points on a layup that put Miami up for good with 11. Cheap Air Max Wholesale .5 million, two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, a deal that covers his final two arbitration seasons. WASHINGTON -- After Jordan Zimmermann put the Washington Nationals in position to win on the mound, Denard Spans legs and Ryan Zimmermans bat made sure they beat the Chicago Cubs. Zimmermans eighth inning single drove in Span for the go-ahead run as the surging Nationals capped a strong weekend with a 2-1 win over the Cubs on Sunday. The expected pitchers duel took place as Zimmermann outdueled Jake Arrieta over six innings and left with a 1-0 lead. "The starter for them today was as advertised, tough," Zimmerman said of Arrieta. "The way Jordan pitched, that was a game we needed to win." The Cubs tied it in the seventh on Starlin Castros sacrifice fly against Drew Storen. Spans hustle turned a soft hit to right field off Pedro Strop (1-4) into a double leading off the eighth. The Cubs challenged the play, but replay showed that the sliding Span avoided the tag. "The fact that he broke out of the box hard and thought two (bases) from the beginning of it was key for us," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. Two outs later, the Cubs intentionally walked Adam LaRoche to bring up Zimmerman, who ripped a single to left to score Span from second. Tyler Clippard (6-2) worked out of trouble in the eighth inning. Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth and earned his 21st save for the Nationals, who have won seven of eight. Washington moved within one-half game of NL East-leading Atlanta. The Nationals took two of three games in the series, including 13-0 on Saturday to break Chicagos four-game winning streak. Zimmermann allowed seven hits with one walk and struck out five. He has given up two earned runs or fewer in seven straight starts. The right-hander is 3-2 with a 1.26 ERA in that span. "I think he found his slider," Williams said. "Gives him another weapon." The Cubs had at least one hit in each of the first six innings, but couldnt generate a clutch one versus Zimmermann. Chicago left 12 runners on base and went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position. "I fell behind hitters and wasnt able to throw first-pitch strikes,"; Zimmermann said.dddddddddddd "Guys got on base, and I had to work out of a few jams. Other than that I threw the ball well." Following this weekends blockbuster trade that sent starters Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Oakland As, Arrieta inherited the No. 1 role in the Cubs rotation. He has pitched to that level lately. The righty won his four previous starts and flirted with no-hitters in his last two. Arrieta carried a perfect game into the seventh inning on June 24 against Cincinnati and went 7 2-3 innings without allowing a hit at Boston on June 30. Washington ended such hopes immediately. Span hit a fly ball that sailed over the outfielders for a double leading off the first. One out later he scored on Jayson Werths groundout for a 1-0 lead. Arrieta allowed four hits and one run over six innings with three walks and five strikeouts. He gave up two singles to open the fifth, but escaped the jam. Zimmermann struck out while attempting to bunt the runner over. "It was a dogfight," Arrieta said. "I really had to grind it out there. I had guys on base. I had to make pitches in big situations. I was able to do that." Storen entered having allowed only three earned runs this season and only one in 17 appearances since May 17. The Cubs threatened in the eighth, putting runners at second and third with one out against Clippard, but didnt score. Pinch-hitter Wellington Castillo struck out looking, and Ryan Sweeney grounded out. Justin Ruggiano, Anthony Rizzo, and John Baker all had two hits for the Cubs. NOTES: The Cubs recalled RHP Blake Parker from Triple-A Iowa before the game. Parker takes the roster spot created by the trade with Oakland. ... Chicago hasnt announced who will replace Samardzija and Hammel when their rotation spots come up Wednesday and Thursday. Edwin Jackson (5-8, 4.99) will open the five-game series at Cincinnati on Monday against fellow RHP Mike Leake (6-7, 3.47). ... Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg (7-6, 3.53) will face RHP Chris Tillman (7-4, 4.21) on Monday when Baltimore visits Washington. ' ' '