Murray into Thai final

The top seed looked to be comfortably on course after winning the first set 6-2 against Gilles Simon but the Frenchman fought back to win the second set 6-3. The Scot broke early in the third set and went on to win the decider 6-2 in a match which lasted one hour and 53 minutes.

World No.4 Murray will face American Donald Young in today’s final after the world No.55 beat second seed Gael Monfils 4-6 7-6 (7/5) 7-6 (7/5).

In a major shock, wildcard entry Young beat Murray in the first round of the Masters Series event at Indian Wells in March. But, at last month’s US Open, Murray gained revenge 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 in the fourth round after Young, as a qualifier, had advanced to the last 16.

“It’s always tough playing Gilles; he’s a very good player,” Murray said. “It was always going to be difficult.

“He’s probably going to finish the year in the top ten again. He doesn’t give you many matches. He makes you work hard for it. I was happy I managed to stay patient in the end.”

Bangkok was the site of Murray’s first ever ATP Tour final six years ago, when he lost out to Roger Federer, and he was happy to be back.

“It’s great to be in the final,” he said. “I’ve only played here a few times. I haven’t been back in a while. Hopefully I can go one further than the first time I got to the final here.”

Murray’s opponent today, Young, said: “I’m excited, I’m stoked, all the words that mean you’re happy to be in my first final.”

“I’ve seen a lot of my peers make finals and I’m happy to be in my first one. It’s great to beat a top-ten player of the calibre of Gael,” he added after beating the Frenchman to reach his first ATP World Tour final.

The 22-year-old trailed 1-4 in the third set, but fought back to force a tie-break and earned match point with a successful Hawk-Eye challenge in two hours and 46 minutes.

“Lately in the big matches I’ve won I’ve been down and I’ve had to come back. I’m just trying to fight and not give up and it pays dividends at the end of matches,” Young said.

• Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland beat Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. Radwanska broke Zvonareva twice to take a 5-2 lead. Zvonareva held to win the eighth game but Radwanska closed out the first set on another error from the Russian. Zvonareva broke Radwanska to win the sixth game of the second set to make it 4-2 but Radwanska broke back in the next game.