Murray has now secured two consecutive titles on the red dirt since the wedding, having never previously won on the surface, and his comprehensive 6-3 6-2 win over Nadal was as unexpected as it was stunning.
Murray, who punched the air in delight after beating the ‘King of Clay’, proceeded to mark his improbable triumph in Madrid by signing the on-court TV camera, accompanied by the message ‘marriage works’.
Andy Murray stuns Rafael Nadal on clay to win Madrid Masters
It was a fitting message to make after the inspired form that he has shown since he married Sears at his Cromlix House venue with Murray clearly feeling as relaxed and comfortable with his game as ever.
“It (marriage) has been nice and a lot of people have spoken about the honeymoon period,” Murray told Sky Sports after the match.
“But we've been together a very long time and getting married was the next step.
“I've always said if the personal stuff is happy and under control that helps your performance on the court.
“But I also feel healthy this year and I have trained well, I'm in much better shape on the clay than I have been for a number of years.”
His unlikely victory over the usually dominant Nadal on the surface – which has always been his least favourite – came just a week after he became the first Brit to land a title on clay since 1976 by beating Philipp Kohlschreiber in a three-hour battle at the Munich Open.
The 27-year-old, who was not expected to beat Nadal on the Spaniard’s favourite surface, now looks set to be tipped to make a strong run at the upcoming French Open – although he was clear about the challenge which playing on the clay always presents.
"It was an incredible atmosphere and to play Rafa in Spain is extremely tough," he said.
“It's one of the hardest things in tennis to try and win against Rafa on clay, so I'm glad I've managed to do it.
Murray did not expect clay success
“I would like to thank my team for getting me in good shape for the clay court season and I will keep trying to play well over the next few weeks, with Roland Garros just around the corner
“Rafa might feel he could have played better but I'm sure he will be playing his best tennis again in the next few weeks, and it's great to see him playing in the finals of these great events.”
source:eurosport