IMPERIOUS SAFIN SEALS FINAL SPOT
Sky Sports
Russia's Marat Safin took just 67 minutes to demolish top seed Juan Carlos Ferrero's claycourt game and reach the final of the Barcelona Open with a remarkable 6-4 6-3 victory.
Safin, seeded fourth, will face another Spaniard in the final after Carlos Moya beat Argentina's Agustin Calleri 7-6 6-2.
Moya's victory was impressive enough but was overshadowed by Safin's outstanding performance against Ferrero, who had reached the semi-finals without dropping a set.
"I'm still some way from my best form but I played well today," Safin said. "My serve kept me out of trouble and that was crucial in the match."
Safin, who beat Ferrero in the Barcelona Open final three years ago, edged ahead in the first set at 5-4, leaving the Spaniard to serve to stay in contention.
Ferrero, under pressure at 30-30, put a tired looking volley into the net and then double faulted to give his opponent the set in 35 minutes.
What followed was simply brutal, as Safin tore Ferrero's game to shreds.
The Russian held his opening service game in the second set to love and moved 2-0 ahead with a backhand return winner on break point in the next.
Safin then reeled off three love games to move 5-0 up and was only denied a 6-0 set win as Ferrero saved match point with an ace.
Ferrero, who had won just two points in those first five games in the second set, managed to hold and broke Safin in the next to hint at a comeback.
He consolidated for 3-5 but could not prevent Safin holding in the next, the Russian serving out with two aces, his 11th and 12th of the match.
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Ferrero: "He was hitting much stronger than I was today. The two double faults in the last game of the first set really bothered me, and I couldn't get my form back."
Sky Sports
Russia's Marat Safin took just 67 minutes to demolish top seed Juan Carlos Ferrero's claycourt game and reach the final of the Barcelona Open with a remarkable 6-4 6-3 victory.
Safin, seeded fourth, will face another Spaniard in the final after Carlos Moya beat Argentina's Agustin Calleri 7-6 6-2.
Moya's victory was impressive enough but was overshadowed by Safin's outstanding performance against Ferrero, who had reached the semi-finals without dropping a set.
"I'm still some way from my best form but I played well today," Safin said. "My serve kept me out of trouble and that was crucial in the match."
Safin, who beat Ferrero in the Barcelona Open final three years ago, edged ahead in the first set at 5-4, leaving the Spaniard to serve to stay in contention.
Ferrero, under pressure at 30-30, put a tired looking volley into the net and then double faulted to give his opponent the set in 35 minutes.
What followed was simply brutal, as Safin tore Ferrero's game to shreds.
The Russian held his opening service game in the second set to love and moved 2-0 ahead with a backhand return winner on break point in the next.
Safin then reeled off three love games to move 5-0 up and was only denied a 6-0 set win as Ferrero saved match point with an ace.
Ferrero, who had won just two points in those first five games in the second set, managed to hold and broke Safin in the next to hint at a comeback.
He consolidated for 3-5 but could not prevent Safin holding in the next, the Russian serving out with two aces, his 11th and 12th of the match.
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Ferrero: "He was hitting much stronger than I was today. The two double faults in the last game of the first set really bothered me, and I couldn't get my form back."
