Rafael Nadal passes Andre Agassi mark with Qatar Open win

Rafael Nadal at last made a title-winning start to a year when he held off Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 to clinch the Qatar Open on Saturday.

It was world number one Nadal’s 61st career title and took him to eighth on the all-time list, passing Andre Agassi.

“I never had the chance to win here before. I had match points against Davydenko in the final a few years back,” said Nadal, who was runner-up to Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko in 2010.

“I’m happy to start the season like this, it’s the first time I have won a title in the first week of the year and it’s a great way to start the season.”

Nadal took his record over Monfils to 9-2 with the Frenchman having achieved both his wins over the Spaniard in Doha, in 2009 and 2012.

It was a fine start for Nadal to a year in which he hopes to ward off Novak Djokovic’s challenge for the world number one spot, and in a month when he hopes to regain the Australian Open title after a five-year interval.