LONDON: Britain's Andy Murray laboured to a third set tie-break victory over Spain's Fernando Verdasco in their final Group A game at the World Tour Finals yesterday.

Murray won 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3) in three hours at London's O2 Arena, eliminating the Spaniard from the competition but leaving his own chances of reaching the semi-finals in the balance.

He converted just one of 13 break points all match as Verdasco dug in, knowing defeat meant certain elimination.

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal became the first player to be knocked out of the finals as he slumped to a 6-1 7-6 defeat by Russia's Nikolay Davydenko late on Wednesday night.

Nadal has no chance of progressing any further in the elite eight-man event even if he beats Djokovic in his final round-robin match today.

In the doubles yesterday, India's Mahesh Bhupathi and his partner Mark Knowles went through to the last four without a perfect record after losing their final group match.

Third seeds Bhupathi and his Bahamian doubles partner lost 6-4, 7-6 (11/9) to top seeds Daniel Nestor of Canada and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia at London's O2 Arena in their Group A match.

Bhupathi and Knowles had already qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament having won their first two games but missed out on the chance to send a message of invincibility to their potential last four opponents.

In Group B, Bhupathi's compatriot and former doubles partner Leander Paes, playing with the Czech Republic's Lukas Dlouhy, are out of the picture having lost the first two of their three round-robin matches. Late on Wednesday night, they lost to Americans Mike and Bob Bryan 6-3 6-4.

The French and US Open champions face Max Mirnyi and Andy Ram in their final match today.

Murray must wait for the result of group leader Roger Federer's match against Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro, which was scheduled to be played late last night, to see whether he has made the last four of the season-ending tournament of the world's top eight players.

The Scot, 22, could have gone straight into the semi-finals if he won in two sets.

The first two games went to deuce, with the server eventually triumphing. Murray won his third and fourth service games to love as he began to impose himself and eventually earned a break point at 4-4.

Though he was on the back foot, Murray kept himself in the point, scampering around and lofting the ball up in the air to gain time. He eventually won it by slicing back a return, which Verdasco dumped into the net.

Serving for the game, Murray went 0-30 down but pulled it back and aced for set point. However, he hit a return into the net and eventually converted an advantage on the third deuce, winning it when Verdasco hit the net.

The second set was a tight affair, with world number four Murray having several chances to break but failing to capitalise on his opportunities.

Murray had break points twice in the first game but did not to convert them.

The next two games also went with serve. Verdasco pulled off two excellent shots to take the fourth game to deuce but Murray held out.

The next game also went to deuce. Murray had break point but left-hander Verdasco recovered the situation to lead 3-2.

Murray held serve and changed his racquet at 40-0 down in the next game. The Scot took the game to deuce but the world number eight held on.

Murray served the next game to love and at 4-4 this time, Verdasco held serve to leave Murray needing to do likewise to stay in the set.

The Briton double-faulted at 30-0 up and Verdasco worked himself back into the game and had set point. But he could not return Murray's serves and the home favourite levelled the set at 5-5.

Murray had two break points in the next game but despite scampering all over the court could not prevent it going to deuce.

Murray had the advantage twice but the Madrid man held his serve.

Murray took the game to a key tie-break with an ace. Had the Briton won it, he would have been straight into the semi-finals.

Murray broke to go 2-3 behind but Verdasco broke back for a 4-2 lead. Murray broke again for 4-4 but Verdasco broke back for 6-4 and set point. He then won it when Murray double-faulted.

The first nine games of the final set all went with serve, leaving Verdasco serving to stay in the set at 5-4 down. Murray went 0-30 up but Verdasco held on.

Murray took the next game to love, a feat Verdasco matched to force a second tie-break.

Murray went 2-1 up on Verdasco's serve but lost his advantage with a weak return. Murray then went 4-2 ahead on a Verdasco double fault and gained a further break when the Spaniard returned into the net. The Scot had match point as a Verdasco return went wide and finally won the match on Verdasco's serve as the Spaniard returned out.