King of Clay Ferrero Outed by Corretja in Opener at ATP Monte Carlo
Posted on April 22, 2004
Two-time defending Masters Series-Monte Carlo champ Juan Carlos Ferrero was bounced in the first round Tuesday 6-2, 6-3 by unseeded countryman Alex Corretja."I'm not surprised, I'm happy," said Corretja, whose ranking is so low he needed a wildcard to get into the event. "When you play a guy that you know is probably the best player on clay -- for sure the best player on clay last season -- so you always know it's going to be tough."
Corretja was so elated he lapsed into second and third person speech.
"If you look at everyone's career right now, you're pretty much expecting it to be the other way around, you know, Ferrero beating Corretja 6-2, 6-3. But Corretja is sitting here, winning 6-2, 6-3. So for me it's a great win."
Ferrero has had a tough past six months, looking exhausted at the end of 2003 and going winless at the Masters Cup and in the Davis Cup final, and earlier this year suffering a bout of chickenpox. Ferrero has yet to win a title through almost four months of play in 2004, with a runner-up effort at Rotterdam, and semifinals at the Australian Open and Valencia.
The only other seeded upset on the day was clay-challenged Thai Paradorn Srichaphan, the No. 10 seed, bowing out to Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela, who recorded his sixth consecutive win after taking the Estoril title last week.
Other seeded winners on the day were (5)Carlos Moya (d. Sargsian in three), (7)David Nalbandian (d. Hrbaty), (8)Sebastien Grosjean (d. Clement), (9)Nicolas Massu (d. Saretta), (14)Martin "Berzerk" Verkerk (d. Portas in three), and (16)Lleyton Hewitt (d. (WC)Benneteau in three).
Unseeded players into the second round were Spaniards Al Martin (d. Canas in three) and Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez (d. Soderling), Frenchman Nicolas Escude (d. Carraz), former No. 1 Marat Safin (d. O.Rochus in three), former No. 2 Tommy Haas (d. Malisse), Argentine Gaston Gaudio (d. Volandri in three), and veterans Jonas Bjorkman (d. (LL)Mahut), (LL)Wyane Arthurs (d. (Q)Ascione), and Andrei Pavel (d. Stepanek).
On court Wednesday on the red dirt are (3)Coria vs. Kiefer (Argentine leads meetings 3-1), (16)Hewitt vs. Gaudio, Safin vs. Max "The Beast" Mirnyi (tied 2-2), A.Martin vs. (8)Grosjean, Dent vs. (WC)Santoro, (6)Henman vs. D.Sanchez, Calleri vs. (WC)Escude, (Q)Lisnard vs. (4)Schuettler, (14)Verkerk vs. Ljubicic, Mantilla vs. (7)Nalbandian (tied 2-2), Davydenko vs. (WC)Corretja, Haas vs. Chela, F.Lopez vs. (9)Massu, Pavel vs. Bjorkman, and (LL)Arthurs vs. (Q)Devilder.
Safin says it will be a difficult one against The Beast.
"Because the courts are little bit fast, (and) he has a kind of game that he doesn't let you play, without rhythm," Safin said. "He serves well. No baseline, basically, and very good volleys. Anticipation, quite good. He chooses the ways that the game -- all of a sudden, you're playing from the baseline, you can find him at the net from out of nowhere. So this kind of game you have to be focused on the return and try to fight for every ball and just give everything back, and so he will see that it's tough from the beginning and he has to be very, very focus to beat me."
WTA REVIEW/PREVIEW
No WTA events this week, Fed Cup this weekend.
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