The Japan Open finished with a bang as British number one Andy Murray clawed back from a set down to beat world number two Rafael Nadal in Tokyo.

The Scot won 3-6 6-2 6-0 to bag his second successive title, after winning the Thailand Open last week, and it came in thrilling fashion. Having lost the first set, he came back to break Nadal twice in the second set before cruising through the deciding set.

It came as quite a shock, as Nadal came into the game with a five-match winning streak against Murray and the run seemed probable to extend after he surged to take the first set. However, Murray improved in the second to take a 4-1 lead before going on to drive through the decider, conceding just four points.

It is Murray's fourth title of the season following Queen's Club, Cincinnati and Bangakok.

Afterwards, it was an elated Murray who spoke to the press.

I played some great tennis and the third set was some of the best I've played against him, said Murray. There were a lot of close games towards the end of the first set and beginning of the second and I managed to get the momentum and didn't give him many chances after that.

I was very consistent, didn't make too many mistakes and kept a cool head in the important moments.

Murray revealed his ambition of finishing as world number three by the season end, displacing Roger Federer.

I've given myself the target of ending the year at number three (in the world) so hopefully I can carry on that form.

Nadal, for his part, admitted that Murray was the better player on the day.

Andy played unbelievable. He deserves the title, said the Spaniard. I've lost a few sets 6-0 of course. You prefer it doesn't happen, but he played fantastic and in the third set he started to play at a really high level. Accept. That's it.

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