Safin ends two-year wait in Beijing

Beijing - Marat Safin won his first title in almost two years with a gritty 7-6 7-5 victory over Mikhail Youzhny in the final of the China Open yesterday.

The powerful former world No 1, who did not drop a set in the Beijing tournament, needed all his experience to record his first success since winning in Paris in November 2002.

"It's a little bit of a strange feeling," said Safin. "You get to the final and play another Russian who has nothing to lose and is playing incredible. I thought maybe not this time.

"It's going to take time to realise what happened, that I won a tournament. You forget this feeling."

The fifth-seeded Safin recovered well after surrendering his serve in the opening game, levelling the first set at 4-4 with a piercing forehand. He then seized control in the tiebreak, serving four aces to take it 7-4 to leave Youzhny shell-shocked.

The second set went with serve until Safin broke through in the 11th game, Youzhny's nerve crumbling as he double-faulted on break point. Safin, the runner-up at the Australian Open and on clay in Estoril this year, converted his first match point with another crunching serve after 97 minutes.

"I was 30-love up and I made two stupid mistakes," said Youzhny. "If I played more finals, maybe I wouldn't have (made) these mistakes. I was close ... but I prefer to play bad and win."

Safin earned $69 200 for his 12th career victory and edged above Andre Agassi into eighth position in the 2004 ATP champions race. The top eight players qualify for the season-ending Masters Cup in Houston.

Safin, the 2000 US Open champion, has struggled for consistency after an injury-plagued 2003.

"It feels great. Hopefully this won't be the last win for me," said the 24-year-old, who was playing his first tournament under Swede Peter Lundgren, the former coach of world No 1 Roger Federer.

"It's not like party time now. I hope I can get to the Masters Cup and keep winning. You need to build your confidence."

Youzhny had beaten three seeded players - Rainer Schuettler, Dominik Hrbaty and Paradorn Srichaphan - on his way to the final of the inaugural $500 000 tournament, only to come up short against fellow Muscovite Safin.

The 22-year-old, who was bidding for his second career title, earned $40 700 for reaching his third final.