World number four Andy Murray outwitted France's Gilles Simon 6-4 7-6 to win the Madrid Masters yesterday and take his second successive Masters Series title.

Neither player matched their heroics in Saturday's semi-finals when Murray beat Roger Federer and Simon defeated Rafael Nadal and, in an attritional baseline battle, Murray's serve and more consistent ground strokes frustrated the wiry Frenchman.

The 21-year-old Scot struck 10 aces to just one from Simon, who failed to produce one break point on Murray's serve in a match lasting 93 minutes.

The Scot broke Simon once in the first set thanks to a wide passing shot from the 23-year-old Frenchman who was playing his first Masters Series final.

Simon held two set points in the second set tiebreak but Murray held on and at 6-6 clubbed a savage cross-court return to bring up championship point which he took as Simon dumped his volley into the net.

Meanwhile, Nadal became the first Spaniard to secure the men's year-end number one ranking.

Nadal toppled Federer from top spot in August and after the Swiss also perished in the last four in Madrid the five times grand slam champion was guaranteed to finish the season on top of the ATP rankings.

Zurich Open: Final - Venus Williams bt F. Pennetta 7-6 6-2.

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