Verdasco rallies to beat fellow Spaniard Ferrer, reach 2nd straight final at Barcelona Open

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Verdasco reaches 2nd straight final at Barcelona

BARCELONA, Spain — Fernando Verdasco reached his second final in two weeks by beating David Ferrer 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-1 Saturday in the Barcelona Open semifinals.

Eighth-seeded Ferrer rallied from early jitters with solid baseline play to take the first set in a tiebreaker.

Fifth-seeded Verdasco snapped his fellow Spaniard’s momentum with two breaks in the second set to even the match. Verdasco then dominated his Davis Cup teammate in the deciding frame with forehand winners.

“I had confidence after coming back into the game in the second set,” said Verdasco, who lost last week’s Monte Carlo Masters to Rafael Nadal. “I’ll have to recover quickly to be in good shape for tomorrow.”

Ferrer was denied a third straight trip to the Barcelona final, where he had lost to Nadal both times.

Second-seeded Robin Soderling of Sweden was playing Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands in the second semifinal.

Ferrer controlled the tempo from the baseline and slapped a crosscourt forehand winner into the corner for another break and a 3-2 lead in the second set of a draining match in the sun.

“In the first set I felt a little heavy in the legs, I was moving poorly and I was late getting to a lot of balls,” Verdasco said. “I got better with the game, it was a little strange.”

Verdasco overcame his frustration to even it at 4-4 when Ferrer hit long and gradually the momentum shifted to the ninth-ranked Verdasco, who clinched the set on his fifth try as Ferrer hit in the net.

“I had the occasion and took advantage,” said Verdasco, who will be going for his second title of the season. “Getting the two breaks in the second set, that was tough.”

Verdasco stroked a forehand down the line for his fifth break of the match before holding serve for a 5-0 lead in the last set, which he clinched when Ferrer hit out.