Into Valencia Final

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Andy is through to the final of the ATP 500 event in Valencia after an impressive 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 victory over Fernando Verdasco.

He’ll now play Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny in Sunday’s final, and SKY will have coverage from 3pm UK time.

With the slow Valencia surface favouring the big-hitting Spaniard, Verdasco might have felt a slight favourite, but ultimately he was undone by an opponent who counter-punched him into submission.

It was certainly Verdasco who looked the more threatening early on, as his monster forehand created break point chances in games two and five.

But just as the slower surface favoured the Spaniard’s major weapon, it also gave Andy the chance to show off his defensive skills, and he soaked up the pressure before turning the tables.

Verdasco soon found himself on the end of some telling winners, and as his early swagger was replaced by discontented mutterings, Andy managed what he couldn’t with breaks in games seven and nine.

Andy moving ahead did anything but make Verdasco creep into his shell. He came out and broke right away as the second set got underway, before another in game five saw him on his way to securing the set 6-2. All of a sudden, the Spaniard was back to his old self.

Or so it seemed.

Perhaps weighed down by thoughts of London and 02 qualification, Verdasco never really seemed that far from a mishap, and he had a few as the third set got underway.

He dealt admirably with four break points to level at two-all, but serving for three-all, luck and composure evaded him, and Andy moved 4-2 in front.

The Spaniard’s mind was still on his last service game as Andy breezed to 5-2, and even though he held for 5-3, Andy served it out.

A big win after six weeks out with injury.

» Go to the top of the page Close and go back