Exhibition scores rarely deserve more than a cursory glance, even when big names are involved. But Andy Murray's 6-2, 6-0 win over Rafael Nadal today in Abu Dhabi—an exhibition tournament that always lures in some of tennis' top talent—was worth a double-take, and then some.

For Nadal, it was his first match since October, when he lost to Borna Coric in Basel and subsequently cut his season short because of appendix surgery. Wearing the same outfit he donned at the Swiss Indoors, Nadal appeared to have trouble hitting through Murray—usually a criticism of his opponent—while the Scot generated ample pace off both wings. Here's an extended highlight package, from YouTube user "SPORTS Highlights":

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Murray, wearing apparel from his new clothing sponsor Under Armour, was fleet and focused throughout the match. Here's one of his best points, capped with a running forehand winner that kept Nadal off the board in the second set:

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Predictions for Murray's play in 2015 have been across the board. Some say he'll return to his old, Slam-winning form after a half-season's worth of time with coach Amelie Mauresmo and back surgery a year in the rearview mirror. Others think 2014 was evidence of the world No. 6's decline, with a new crop of younger players ready to pass him in the rankings.

No matter your opinion, this was an impressive showing for Murray. The well-compensated athletes who get to play Abu Dhabi are trying to tune up for the impending Australian Open, after all, and Murray had already outlasted Feliciano Lopez, 7-6 (1), 5-7, 6-4 on Thursday. A happy new year indeed, for Andy.

As for Nadal, the social media set has already weighed in:

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One other note about Murray, and one that bears watching: In press, he said his right shoulder was sore, and that he had never experienced a similar issue before. "We'll see how I wake up," he said.

Murray will undergo scans to determine what the problem is. The 27-year-old has had a heavy schedule since the U.S. Open, playing half a dozen events while attempting to qualify for the ATP Tour Finals, and then participating in ther International Tennis Premier League (ITPL) in addition to his offseason training in Miami.—Kamakshi Tandon

That's tennis, the sport that, just two days into the new year, has already been struck with injuries.

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