VALENCIA (AFP) - David Ferrer became only the fourth active player to record 600 career wins when he cruised past Thomaz Bellucci 6-1, 6-2 to reach the Valencia semi-finals on Friday.The world number five delighted his home town crowd with victory in just 67 minutes as he goes on to face Andy Murray, a rival for a place in the World Tour Finals, on Saturday.Ferrer joins Roger Federer (986 wins), Rafael Nadal (706) and Lleyton Hewitt (611) in the modern era 600-win club.Im most proud of all the years that Ive been able to stay among the best players in the world, said Ferrer. There have been important tournaments that Ive won, and that Ive been proud of, but what Im most proud of is to have been able to maintain this stability for all these years.Im proud that this 600th victory was at home. I want to thank all the people that have been with me along the way.Murray earlier rallied from a set down to reach the semi-finals with a 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-4 win over South Africas Kevin Anderson.Murray is hoping to boost his chances of a seventh consecutive appearance in the World Tour Finals in London next month.Murray and Ferrer are currently eighth and ninth in the race to London with three of the eight places still to fill.Ferrer won when the pair met in the Shanghai Masters third round, but Murray claimed revenge on Sunday in the Vienna final.The match tomorrow will be an important match, as was last week and also in Shanghai, said Murray. But even if I dont win the tournament this week, I will still have an opportunity in Paris if I play well there.A horrible service game that included two double-faults put Murray in trouble in the first set as the big-serving Anderson broke to love to lead 4-3.The two-time Grand Slam champion repaired the damage by breaking straight back in a marathon 22-point game, but Anderson proved too strong in the tie-break as Murrays service faltered once more.After an early exchange of breaks in the second, it was Murray who took control with some characteristic chasing from well behind the baseline before passing Anderson at the net to break for a 5-4 lead.The Scot served out for the set and broke through again at the beginning of the decider with a lovely lob for which Anderson had no answerAnd despite blowing three match points when serving for victory, Murray sealed his 16th win in 18 matches when Anderson found the net on his fourth match point.Dunya News Tv
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 21:23:51 +0000
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