Murray weathers storm

ANDY Murray surprised himself by reaching the final of the Valencia Open last night, beating Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, writes Alix Ramsay.

Only five days into his comeback, he mopped up the pace and power of the world No.8 (and Verdasco's forehand ought to come with a government health warning) and, in return, drove his rival to distraction with the variety and cunning of his game. Although he began to look a little tired towards the end – he had played four rounds in five days – there were times when the Scot looked almost back to his best.

Murray needed all his defensive abilities in the early stages to hold on to his first service game as Verdasco fired down a series of winners.

But the problem for Verdasco was always going to be one of patience – and he came unstuck.

A double fault from Murray handed Verdasco his first break and, gaining in confidence, he took the second set.

Murray held firm in the opening game of the third, and it was the top seed who gradually regained the initiative.

In today's final Murray takes on Mikhail Youzhny, the 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 winner over Nikolay Davydenko.