Youzhny beats Ferrer to win Valencia Open

Valencia: Mikhail Youzhny beat top-seeded David Ferrer 6-3, 7-5, to win the Valencia Open on Sunday.

The 31-year-old Russian dominated the No. 3-ranked Ferrer throughout, breaking the defending champion and home town favourite four times on the indoor hard court.

Youzhny took a one-set lead by breaking Ferrer twice early on, picking the Spaniard apart with well-placed ground strokes.

Ferrer appeared to have recovered with a break in the second set. But Youzhny recovered his service game to level the score and broke Ferrer a final time to go up 6-5 before serving out the decisive game.

Youzhny claimed his 10th career title when Ferrer netted his final return. Youzhny had finished runner-up here to Andy Murray in 2009.