Murray reigns in Spain
Andy Murray: winner of 14 ATP tour titles
Sunday, 08, Nov 2009 09:41
By James Christie
Andy Murray declared his satisfaction with a "very, very good" week's work after defeating Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-3, 6-2 to win the Valencia Open.
It has been a good weekend for Brits hoping to defeat Russians as David Haye had beaten Nikolay Valuev to become world boxing champion the night before, a bout fight-fan Murray is sure to have watched.
Perhaps Haye's victory inspired the Scot to introduce a greater element of aggression into his game - a tactic which paid off as early as the fourth game when a cross-court forehand secured a telling break of serve.
The knock-out blow which ended the first set was an ace, a trick world number four Murray repeated in the next set after two early breaks of serve had put his 27-year-old opponent firmly on the ropes.
World number 23 Youzhny is an impressive scalp for Murray, considering that Valencia was the first tournament the British Davis Cup star has played since returning to the circuit after a six-week injury lay-off.
The new Valencia champion said: "It is very rare for someone to win a tournament after a long break. I am happy I have come back from the injury well and played better with every match."
Murray will be hoping that he can win career title number 15 at next week's Paris Masters event.
He has received a bye through to the second round where he will meet James Blake, the likeable American he beat in the final of this year's pre-Wimbledon Queen's Club tournament.