Youzhny shows his pleasure at beating Melzer

Mikhail Youzhny will meet second seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic in the final of the Dubai Championships after they both won their semi-finals.

Russian Youzhny beat unseeded Austrian Jurgen Melzer 7-5 7-6 (7-4), while Djokovic dropped a set before seeing off Marcos Baghdatis 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 6-4.

There was only one break of serve in the match as Youzhny reached his second final in Dubai in four years.

"It was a tough match, really close, For me it was really tough," he said.

The decisive moment in Youzhny's semi-final came at 5-5 in the first set.

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Melzer was serving and slipped to 0-40, and despite managing to save two break points, at the third time of asking Youzhny clinched the vital break of serve.

Djokovic, who beat David Ferrer in three sets to win the tournament last year, was again made to sweat as he continued his uncertain form of the week.

Having struggled against Viktor Troicki and Ivan Ljubicic in previous rounds, he struggled in the first set against Baghdatis, serving five double faults.

He also went a break down in the second set before imposing himself on the game and wrapping up his victory.

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