VALENCIA, Spain (AP) Defending champion David Ferrer beat former winner Nicolas Almagro 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the Valencia Open final on Saturday.
Ferrer will play Mikhail Youzhny on Sunday after he defeated Dmitry Tursunov 6-2, 6-4 in an all-Russian semifinal.
"Youzhny is a good player," Ferrer said. "He has a good backhand and also slices the ball very well. It will be a close final."
World No. 3 Ferrer saved the only break chance Almagro had on the indoor hard court while taking three of six break opportunities as he improved to 14-0 against the fellow Spaniard.
Besides last year, Ferrer won the event in 2010 and beat Almagro in the 2008 final, ending the latter's two-year title run.