Rafael Nadal has begun the new year with a win, defeating Milos Raonic in straight sets at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi over the weekend.
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The world number five warmed up for the new season with a 7-6(2) 6-3 victory in 90 minutes at the exhibition event on Saturday, having defeated compatriot David Ferrer in the semi-finals a day earlier.
Nadal told the tournament's official website: "It's a great feeling. It's a great way to start the new season winning against two of the best players in the world without a doubt, and playing at the right level - I played a good level of tennis and I'm happy for that.
"I'm happy to win the title here in Abu Dhabi again. I tried hard every year [to win] but I feel that I arrived in very good shape this year."
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Nadal, whose 2015 season was plagued by injury and poor form, will now head to Doha for the Qatar Open, where he is seeded second behind world number one Novak Djokovic.
