Novak Djokovic made a perfect start to the season with his third successive victory at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships on Saturday.
Djokovic, the No. 2 player in world rankings, defeated David Ferrer 7-5, 6-2 at the Abu Dhabi hard-court event. It's the second time he has beaten the Spaniard in the final following his 6-2, 6-1 win in 2011.
Djokovic started the match strongly, showing his athletic best to kept rallies alive from behind the baseline and duly taking the opening set 7-5.
The Serb was then dominant in the second set as the Spanish world number three struggled to contain him, with Djokovic racing into a 4-0 lead.
Ferrer fought back well to get two games on the board, but the defending champion then served out for the title.
With start of the Australian Open now just 17 days away, this represents ideal preparation for the 26-year-old who, under the guidance of new coach Boris Becker, is looking to claim a fourth consecutive crown in Melbourne.
Rafael Nadal sealed third place in Abu Dhabi with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga earlier on Saturday.
Nadal, the world's No. 1 player, was unable to force his way past Tsonga in the opening set, requiring a tie-break to seal the early advantage.
Nadal then had fewer problems in the second, though, as he coasted to his ninth win over Tsonga in 12 meetings.