VALENCIA, Spain (AP) -Top-seeded Andrew Murray reached the semifinals of the Valencia Open 500 Friday, beating Albert Montanes 6-4, 6-2, while fifth-seeded Gilles Simon crashed out, losing 6-4, 6-4 to Mikhail Youzhny.
Murray looked comfortable throughout his 73-minute match and broke Montanes of Spain in the first game. Murray broke again in the ninth to help clinch the set before racing to a 4-0 lead in the second and securing a semifinal spot.
The British player is back from a six-week injury layoff and has not competed since a Davis Cup tie in September.
Youzhny saved 11 break points in reaching his fifth semifinal of the year.
For Simon, the loss to the Russian is a setback in his bid to secure one of the last two berths of the year-ending ATP World Tour Finals which begins on Nov. 22.
The Frenchman needed to match the performance of Fernando Verdasco in Valencia this week in order to clinch a London berth ahead of the Spaniard.
Murray will next play the winner of the match between Verdasco and Tommy Robredo.
