Andy Murray closes on ATP Finals with semi-final win over David Ferrer

Andy Murray closes on ATP Finals with semi-final win over David Ferrer
• Andy Murray wins 6-4, 7-5 to reach Valencia Open final
• Tommy Robredo to face Scot after beating Jérémy Chardy
• Rafael Nadal pulls out of ATP Tour Finals in London
• Erste Bank Open final: Murray sees off Ferrer

Andy Murray reacts during his 6-4, 7-5 semi-final win against David Ferrer in the Valencia Open. Photograph: Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Andy Murray gave his hopes of qualifying for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London an almighty boost with a high-calibre win over David Ferrer to reach the final of the Valencia Open.

The Scot had to endure a major scare in the second set when he lost four straight games to go from 3-0 up to 4-3 down before regrouping to seal a 6-4, 7-5 success over the top seed in just under two hours. Murray will play Tommy Robredo in Sunday’s final after Ferrer’s Spanish compatriot beat Jérémy Chardy of France 7-6, 7-6.

A single early break earned the third seed Murray the first set and his powerful serving and fierce ground strokes soon put him in control of the second. Ferrer reversed the tide in impressive fashion, but his opponent showed plenty of grit, and no little skill, to stop the rot.

Murray went into the clash eighth in the Race to London standings, with ninth place now enough for a place at the O2 Arena following Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal.Ferrer, in ninth, could have gone ahead of Murray with victory and, with Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov also firmly in the hunt, the heat was on the 2013 Wimbledon champion, especially given his tough draw at the one remaining event, the Paris Masters. He could face Dimitrov in the last 16 and Novak Djokovic in the last eight in the French capital.

This was Murray and Ferrer’s third meeting in three weeks, the British No1 having beaten his rival in the final in Vienna after losing to the Spaniard in Shanghai. The Scot was given a real fight in the Austrian capital and, after appearing set for a routine win, was given a major scare on Saturday. He got off to the best possible start against the home favourite, breaking in the opening game as Ferrer twice double-faulted. Murray was firmly up and running as he then held to love and retained the break advantage before fighting back from break point down when serving for the set to clinch it 6-4.

Murray gained an early foothold in the second set too, breaking in the first game again and consolidating for a 2-0 lead to leave his opponent up against it.

Both players broke serve before Ferrer reduced the deficit to one game with his first service hold of the set and had Murray sweating when he broke again to level at 3-3.

Ferrer moved 4-3 in front and Murray had to save break point to level at 4-4 and stem the tide of lost games.

A brilliant cross-court return put Ferrer one game away from the set but Murray kept his cool to make it 5-5 and then came through a brutal game to break for a 6-5 lead. He then fought back from 40-15 down to seal a crucial victory on his second match point.