KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – David Ferrer beat his fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 7-5 7-5 in the final of the Malaysian Open on Sunday to capture the 25th title of his career and his fourth this year.
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Appearing in his 50th ATP career final, the 33-year-old Ferrer won the hard-fought match against his good friend and Davis Cup team mate to add the Malaysian title to his previous tournament wins this year in Doha, Rio and Acapulco.
“I feel very happy, because I have never played so well at this tournament,” said Ferrer, who was the top seed. “I played my best match of the week in this final, and my sensations after my elbow injury are now very good.”
Ferrer had not lost to Lopez since 2009 but his streak looked to be in danger of ending when he made a slow start and went down an early break.
But Ferrer quickly broke back and clinched the opening set when he broke second-seeded Lopez again in the 12th game. In the second set, Ferrer again made the vital break in the 12th game, sealing a straight-sets win.
“Feliciano is a good tennis player, but an even better person,” said Ferrer. “I wish him all the best for the rest of the season.”
(Reporting by Julian Linden in Singapore, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
