Murray mauls Montanes to reach Valencia semis

British player Andy Murray returns a ball to Albert Montanes of Spain during their Valencia Open tennis match in Valencia November 6, 2009.

VALENCIA, Spain (Reuters) - Top seed Andy Murray gave Spaniard Albert Montanes a 6-4 6-2 mauling in the quarter-finals of the Valencia Open Friday as the Briton continued his comeback from a wrist injury.

The world number four, who before this week had not played on the ATP tour since September's U.S. Open, broke the Montanes serve four times to set up a semi-final Saturday against Fernando Verdasco or Tommy Robredo.

Russian Mikhail Youzhny earlier maintained his dominance over Gilles Simon, beating the French fifth seed 6-4 6-4 for his fifth victory in five meetings between the pair and a place in the last four.

Simon's defeat all but ended his hopes of securing a place at the World Tour Finals in London later this month.

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro and Andy Roddick have all qualified for the November 22-29 season-ending event.

Valencia second seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia and fourth-seeded Spaniard Verdasco occupy the remaining two spots and play their quarters against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Robredo respectively later Friday.

Seventh seed Robredo has an outside chance of a Tour Finals spot.

(Writing by Iain Rogers in Madrid; Editing by Sonia Oxley)