Ferrero to meet Safin in finals

In a battle of Spaniards, Juan Carlos Ferrero held off Carlos Moya 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2 in the semi-finals at the Barcelona Open on Saturday.

Ferrero advances to the finals where he will face Russia's Marat Safin, who rallied from a set down to beat Sweden's Magnus Norman, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Ferrero used a strong forehand and consistent serve to neutralise Moya's game. Following his break in the tenth game to win the first set 6-4, Ferrero broke Moya in the second game of the second set.

Moya used a combination of drop shots and stinging forehands to break back in the ninth game, hold the tenth and break in the 11th and then win the tiebreaker.

In the third set, Ferrero broke Moya, winning the next three games and the match.

"I could have won in two sets. I let down a little physically but I hung on and won a tough match," said Ferrero.

Ferrero also said he thought the time had come to stop calling him a promising new player.

"I think I've proved myself here and moved on to a new level of my career. If I win tomorrow, it will be a very special victory for me. Right now it's time for a massage, a bath and a hotel."

Moya has lost four semi-final matches in the last five years at the Godo.

"Of course it's disappointing but I intend to keep trying and we'll see if I get luckier next year," said Moya.

In the other semi-final, it looked like easy going the second-seed Norman, before Safin rallied.

"He was ready to play and I was cold during the first set," said Safin. "I wasn't ready to fight. The strategy was run, run and battle."

Safin said he had such a bad three months of this year that he was at the point of quitting tennis altogether. But he changed coaches last week and with new coach Andrei Chesnokov he has reached the finals of the Godo.

"Ferrero and I know each other well but tomorrow he'll find a new Marat Safin, fighting from the first point to the last."