Ferrero Gives Spain Early Lead in Valencia
http://www.daviscup.org/news/newsarticle.asp?id=12375
Juan Carlos Ferrero saw off a brave challenge from talented Croatian teenager
Mario Ancic 64 62 76 to put Spain in the driving seat in their Davis Cup by BNP
Paribas quarterfinal tie in sunny Valencia.
A crowd of around 5,000 turned up on the opening morning of the tie to watch
the Valencia-born Ferrero lead off the Spanish challenge. Ancic, the bright
young hope of Croatian tennis, started well and gave Ferrero a rough ride for
the first 12 games or so. The Spaniard proved superior on the big points,
however, and claimed a thoroughly deserved victory in two hours 15 minutes.
Ferrero missed one chance for an early break in the first set against the tall
Ancic, over-hitting a backhand after forcing the opportunity with a stinging
return to his opponent's feet. The breakthrough eventually came in the game
nine, as Ferrero struck his first direct return-winner on his way to forcing
0-40. Ancic struck a forehand long on the first of the three break points and
Ferrero made no mistake as he served for the set in the next.
Ancic must still have been feeling reasonably confident after matching Ferrero,
ranked at third in the world, for most of the first set. The events of the
opening two games of the second set saw the match slip away from Ancic, though,
as Ferrero gained complete control of the tie and dealt a crushing blow to his
arrival's morale in the process.
Ferrero quickly had Ancic at 0-30 in the first game of the second set and
forced three break points with a powerful return to the Croat's feet. Ferrero
took the first of them with a forehand winner punched down the line but Ancic
then roared back to force three break points of his own in game two.
Unfortunately for Ancic, Ferrero managed to save all three of them and in fact
saved a total of six break points in a game that went to seven deuces before
the Spaniard held for a 2-0 lead. Ferrero built on that great escape to take
the set in 42 minutes and the popular Spaniard made the first break in the
third as well.
Ancic showed great courage to deny Ferrero victory when he served for the match
at 5-4, coming to the net on the second of three break points and supplying a
perfect volley to get back to 5-5. Ancic even edged ahead at 6-5 but Ferrero
made no mistake in the next to force a tiebreak.
The Croat double-faulted on the first point of the decider and Ferrero built on
that good start to move 4-0 ahead and eventually take it 7-1.
Carlos Moya was next up for Spain in a bid to make it 2-0 with victory over top
Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.
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