Youzhny Clinches Close Kuala Lumpur Final

© Getty ImagesMikhail Youzhny won his second ATP World Tour title of the season.

ATP World Tour No. 9 Mikhail Youzhny came from a set down to win for the third day in a row Sunday as he rallied to defeat Andrey Golubev 6-7(7), 6-2, 7-6(3) in the final of the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2010.

The 28-year-old Youzhny was made to work hard for his seventh ATP World Tour title, having been extended to three sets in all four of his matches this week. Against Marcos Baghdatis in the quarter-finals, he came back from a set and a double break down to win. In the semi-finals, he won 12 of the last 14 games to recover from the loss of the first set against Igor Andreev.

“It was four very tough matches for me," said Youzhny. "It was my first tournament indoors after the US Open Series and for me it was good. I cannot say I showed by best tennis here, but, although it’s good when you show your best tennis and win the tournament, it’s probably better sometimes when you don’t show your really best game but you have a really good result.”

In the Battle for London it is a confidence-boosting win for Youzhny, who is hoping to qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for the first time. The Russian, who began the week at No. 10 in the year-to-date South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings, will add 250 points to his tally. He also received $153,500 in prize money as champion of the ATP World Tour 250 indoor hard-court tennis tournament.

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Youzhny has compiled a 39-15 match record in what has been a stellar season for the Muscovite. He also won the title in Munich (d. Cilic) in May and finished runner-up in Rotterdam (l. to Soderling) and Dubai (l. to Djokovic) in February, as well as reaching the US Open semi-finals last month (l. to Nadal).

Youzhny defeated Golubev in three comfortable sets in the first round in New York, but was given a much sterner test by the up-and-coming Kazakhstani player in their fourth meeting on Sunday. The eighth-seeded Golubev squandered an early break advantage in the final, but held his nerve in the first-set tie-break, saving three set points before clinching a one-set lead.

The fourth-seeded Youzhny came back strongly in the second set, though, breaking twice as he established a 5-1 lead. Golubev was able to recoup one of the breaks, but Youzhny broke serve again in the eighth game to level the match. Neither player was able to create a break point chance in the final set and Youzhny’s greater experience showed in the tie-break as he sealed victory in two hours and 32 minutes.

“It was a really tough match, a very close match," reflected Youzhny. "I should have won the first set, when you lead 6-3 in the tie-break indoors usually you should take the set. I came back well and I played a really good second set. In the final set it was really close. Unfortunately, when you win 7-6 in the third set in the last match, you have to be a little bit luckier than him.”

World No. 41 Golubev was hoping to cap a giant-killing week by winning his second ATP World Tour title. The 23 year old, who won his maiden title in Hamburg (d. Melzer) in July, had ousted World No. 5 Robin Soderling and No. 11 David Ferrer en route to the final. Speaking after the semi-finals, Golubev had credited his good form this week with the confidence he had gained from leading Kazakhstan into the Davis Cup World Group with a 5-0 victory over Switzerland last month.

“We both played very well, except my second set, but I was a little bit tired," lamented Golubev. "I played very good matches against Soderling and Ferrer, that’s why I was a little bit down. I needed the set to relax, to get some energy for the third set. He played very good points, at 4-4, 15/30 I had chances to maybe break him, but he played well. In the tie-break at 4-3, the next two points decided it.”

“I’m happy about the tournament, because when I came here I was feeling pretty good physically and mentally and I beat a Top 10 guy. It’s good for me and I know I can play against top guys and in the future I can improve my game and I will do my best in the next tournament.”