TENNIS NEWSANDY MURRAY confirmed his ability to compete against the best players after his three-set victory over world number one Roger Federer in the first round of the Dubai Open yesterday.

The British number one narrowly lost the first set 8-6 on a tie break but clinically took the first break point in the second set to break Federer's serve in the sixth game.

Murray (20) then broke Federer in the fifth game of the third set before he served out for a 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, 6-4 win at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre to set up a match with Rainer Schüttler or Fernando Verdasco in the last 16 of the tournament. Murray also beat Federer in August 2006.

Meanwhile, Irish Davis Cup player Louk Sorensen has won his first challenger event by beating Farrukh Dustov of Uzbekistan 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 in the final of the €30,000 Wolfsburg event in Germany over the weekend.