VALENCIA, Spain (AFP) - Top seeded Andy Murray of Scotland defeated Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 to reach the final of the Valencia Open on Saturday.

Murray, bidding for a sixth title of 2009, will face Mikhail Youzhny in Sunday's final after the Russian defeated compatriot and number two seed Nikolay Davydenko 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

After winning the final three games of the first set to clinch a one-set lead, Murray could not maintain his momentum as Verdasco broke serve twice to race to a 5-1 lead in the second set before levelling the match.

In the pair?s eighth career encounter, though, it was Murray who held his nerve in the final set, breaking through in the sixth game for a 4-2 lead before going on to seal victory after two hours and one minute.