Andy Murray set up a Mubadala World Tennis Championship semi-final clash with Rafael Nadal when he battled to a hard-earned 7-6 (7/1), 5-7, 6-4 win over Spain’s Feliciano Lopez on Thursday.

Murray, 27, needed five match points before he secured victory and will next look to clinch a double over Nadal in the Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament having defeated the Spanish great in the final in 2009.

“Lopez had break points and I had a lot of match points so I’m happy just to get through,” said Murray.

In Thursday’s late match, Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka eased past Spain’s Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 6-2.

Wawrinka will next face world number one Novak Djokovic in Friday’s semi-finals.