Youzhny Maintains Love Affair With Dubai

© Barclays Dubai Tennis ChampionshipsMikhail Youzhny also reached the 2007 Dubai final.

Russian defeats plucky Melzer to advance to second Dubai final

Mikhail Youzhny maintained his love affair with Dubai, by reaching his second final at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, where he will face either defending champion Novak Djokovic or Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

The Russian booked his place in Saturday’s final by defeating Austria’s Jurgen Melzer 7-5 7-6 on a hot and humid centre court.

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The seventh seeded Russian, who lost the 2007 final to Roger Federer, was under pressure throughout two hour 13-minute battle, and after games went with serve he faced the first break point of the match when down 5-4.

Melzer, though, netted a forehand to end an 18-stroke rally and lose the set point, and was then broken himself in the next game when Youzhny executed a perfectly-placed lob that Melzer didn’t even bother trying to reach.

Youzhny then served out the first set to love, and went on to hold a break point at 2-2 in the second. He netted a return to lose that opportunity, and then escaped a break point himself in the next game when Melzer made a backhand error.

Youzhny earned a further break point at 4-4 which Melzer saved with a smash, and in a desperately tight tiebreak just one break at 2-2 decided the outcome.

"It was a tough match, actually. It was really close for both players," said Youzhny. "I think Jurgen played really well today. He was aggressive. He won a lot of good points. So for me it was really tough.

"But, actually I serve really good on tiebreak and during the match. During the match it was so-so, but on tiebreak I served really good."

Youzhny will now play the winner of the second semi-final, between defending champion and number two seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia and unseeded Cypriot Marcos Bahgdatis.

The Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, which is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free, continues until February 27th.