Top seed Andy Murray gave Spaniard Albert Montanes a 6-4 6-2 mauling in the quarter-finals of the Valencia Open yesterday as the Briton continued his comeback from a wrist injury.

The world number four, who before this week had not played on the ATP tour since September's US Open, dropped a set against little-known Argentine Leonardo Mayer in Thursday's second-round but looked back on top form against Montanes, ranked 34.

He broke serve four times on the way to winning the first set and opening a 4-0 lead in the second and wrapped up the match with a forehand winner. "My wrist is still giving me some pain but I am feeling better every day," Murray said at a news conference at the Spanish hardcourt event. "I played well today and tomorrow I hope to improve even more."

The Scot will play Fernando Verdasco in today's semi-finals after the Spanish fourth seed nailed a slew of crashing winners to brush aside compatriot and seventh seed Tommy Robredo 6-3 6-2. Verdasco's win and a victory earlier yesterday for Russian second seed Nikolay Davydenko means they both remain on track to secure the remaining two places at the World Tour Finals in London later this month.

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro and Andy Roddick have all qualified for the Nov. 22-29 season-ending event and Davydenko holds seventh spot and Verdasco eighth.

Davydenko beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4 7-6 and will contest a place in Sunday's final with compatriot Mikhail Youzhny, who maintained his dominance over Gilles Simon by beating the French fifth seed 6-4 6-4. Youzhny saved all 11 break points he faced and it was his fifth victory in five meetings between the pair. Verdasco's win ended both Simon's and Robredo's hopes of securing a place in London.

 Women’s match

Marion Bartoli reached her fourth final of the season by defeating Japan's Kimiko Date Krumm 6-1 6-3 at the Tournament of Champions today. The top seed from France will bid to add to the titles she won this year in Monterrey and Stanford when she faces either Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez or Aravane Rezai of France, who play later today.

Date Krumm, at 39 the oldest player on the WTA Tour, was seeking her second final of the year after winning the Korea Open in September. Bartoli made an intimidating start, breaking in the opening game when Date Krumm netted a forehand and then firing three aces and a service winner to hold for 2-0.

Date Krumm made too many unforced errors against her powerful and consistent opponent, who broke again for 3-0, and after conceding her own serve by netting a backhand Bartoli then won the final three games of the set. Bartoli continued to dominate in the second set, building a 5-0 lead and earning a match point when Date Krumm double-faulted. But a forehand down the line landed wide and that sparked a brief fightback from Date Krumm.

She held serve for the first time in the match, broke for 5-2 and then held two break points at 5-3 to get back on serve before Bartoli closed out the contest on her third match point. -Reuters