Andy Murray fought back to win his first title in 15 months as he came from a set down to beat Tommy Robredo at the inaugural Shenzhen Open.
Murray is back in the winner's circle following his drought, with his last tournament victory coming at Wimbledon last year, but it was far from smooth for the British No.1 despite a 5-7 7-6(9) 6-1 triumph.
'It's been a tough year for me,' Murray said. 'The first few months coming back from surgery were hard, then I lost a bit of confidence. I've felt better the past few months and hopefully I can have a strong end to the season.'
The Scot, who underwent back surgery in September last year, was broken in the opening game of the match and then again at 5-5 as Spaniard Robredo clinched the opening set.
Defeat looked ominous for Murray as the second went to a tie-break; Robredo earned a 6-2 lead but Murray saved five match points before edging the breaker 11-9, which sent the match into a decider.
Robredo's early efforts took their toll as the No.4 seed wilted in the last, with Murray wrapping up victory in two hours 30 minutes on court.
Victory not only means a first crown for Murray since he became the first British male to win Wimbledon in 77 years, but it has also enhanced his chances of qualifying for the ATP season-ending World Tour Finals in November.
Murray earned 250 ranking points with his win, which moves him up to No.10 in the Race to London rankings - just 105 points behind No.8 Tomas Berdych, who holds the final qualifying spot.
The 27-year-old will hope to build on his Shenzhen success by taking part in two other Asain tournaments; Murray will play in the China Open in Beijing and the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Shanghai.
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