Ferrero Holds His Nerve
Saturday, June 28, 2003
Juan Carlos Ferrero, the French Open champion,
moved into the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-4, 2-6,
6-4 victory over Sargis Sargsian. But the Spaniard
should have closed it out comfortably in three.
Based on Ferrero's last performance, the more
experienced Sargsian was expected to give
him trouble, especially as the 30-year-old
Armenian was the happier of the two on grass.
He has won his only titles on this surface,
namely at Newport in the United States and Surbiton.
This time Ferrero came out determined not to allow
his opponent a foot in the door and succeeded
in his objective by playing an aggressive game
from the first point. He stretched the Armenian fully,
ensuring he was on the defensive from the outset.
It proved an effective game plan and, for the
first two sets, he remained focused, taking
advantage of the opportunities offered and
defending well. An unfortunate lapse in the
third set momentarily altered the whole tenor
of the match when he tamely conceded his serve
twice to give Sargsian a lifeline - both on double faults.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
真該打屁股!!!
Refocusing, Ferrero, the world number three and
current leader of the 2003 Champions' Race,
was quick to re-establish his supremacy with
some powerful groundstrokes that had Sargsian,
the world number 62, reeling in the third game
of the fourth. The Armenian had to concede the
game to love under the weight and ferocity of
the Spaniard's stroke play.
But Sargsian's spirit was not broken. In the
sixth, he used a variety of spins and tactics
to capture the Ferrero serve for a second time,
breaking the 23-year-old Spanish number one
from 40-0 up to the dismay of his supporters.
Fortunately for them, Ferrero struck back
immediately to regain the initiative and held
on grimly to serve out with a service winner,
to their wild acclaim.
"I'm comfortable because I'm playing well,"
said Ferrero after the match.
"I'm playing from the base of the line. The most
important thing is that I'm winning matches on grass."
Ferrero faces Sebastien Grosjean, the tenacious
13th seed from France, for a place in the last eight.
Once again, he will have to raise his game against
a player who has won a grass court title, in Nottingham.
Written by Henry Wancke
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