David Ferrer strengthened his hand in the race to the ATP season finals as the veteran Spaniard won the Austrian Open with a fighting 4-6 6-4 7-5 defeat of American Steve Johnson.
Ferrer, who joins Roger Federer on five titles this year - the pair are second behind Novak Dkjokovic on nine - now stands in solid contention for one of the two remaining places in the eight-man field for the World Tour Finals starting November 15.
Ferrer joins Richard Gasquet on joint seventh in the race to London. But of those trailing the pair, none save Gasquet have a real chance of qualifying, as Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, provisional ninth, is not playing next week.
Ferrer claimed the 25th trophy of his career as he defeated Johnson, who was playing in his first final.
The Spanish champion set up three match points in the third set with his seventh ace after a break in the previous game and converted on his first opportunity.
Ferrer lost the final a year ago at the Stadthalle to Andy Murray. The last Spaniard to win here was Feliciano Lopez in 2004.
AFP
