Nadal Punishes Former French Open Champ Ferrero at ATP Valencia
Posted on April 7, 2005If there was any question that former No. 1 and Roland Garros champ Juan Carlos Ferrero is back to form...try back again in a month.
Ferrero, who has yet to recover from a debilitating 2004 campaign filled with injury and illness, was ceremoniously thumped 6-2, 6-1 by No. 3 seed Rafael Nadal Wednesday at the ATP claycourt stop in Valencia.
"I think I played pretty much okay, but I was a bit surprised as Juan Carlos helped me in making more mistakes than usual," Nadal said. "That calmed me down early on. The draw wasn't kind to me putting me up against Ferrero on his home patch. But I think he was a bit nervous."
While Ferrero's troubles continue, his Spanish compatriot Nadal's star continues to rise after reaching the final on hardcourt at the Masters Series-Miami, where the teenager blew a two sets to love and 4-1 in the third lead in the best-of-five set final against world No. 1 Roger Federer.
"I felt uncomfortable out there throughout," Ferrero said. "I took too many risks and made too many mistakes."
Winners in second-round play through to the quarterfinals were Chilean (20) Fernando Gonzalez (d. Mantilla) and three Spaniards in former Roland Garros champ Al Costa (d. Koubek), (6) Fernando Verdasco (d. (Q) Luzzi, bagel in the second), and (Q)Ivan Navarro Pastor (d. Dupuis from a set down).
"I came to Valencia to win," Gonzalez said. "In these first two matches, I have been feeling really at home on clay."
Scheduled for Thursday in Valencia are (7) Andreev vs. "You Say" Potito Starace, Kuerten vs. A.Martin, Guillermo "G-Lo" Garcia-Lopez vs. (3) Nadal in an all-Spanish, and Irakli "Freak Show" Labadze vs. (5) Ferrer.
Ferrero, who has yet to recover from a debilitating 2004 campaign filled with injury and illness, was ceremoniously thumped 6-2, 6-1 by No. 3 seed Rafael Nadal Wednesday at the ATP claycourt stop in Valencia.
"I think I played pretty much okay, but I was a bit surprised as Juan Carlos helped me in making more mistakes than usual," Nadal said. "That calmed me down early on. The draw wasn't kind to me putting me up against Ferrero on his home patch. But I think he was a bit nervous."
While Ferrero's troubles continue, his Spanish compatriot Nadal's star continues to rise after reaching the final on hardcourt at the Masters Series-Miami, where the teenager blew a two sets to love and 4-1 in the third lead in the best-of-five set final against world No. 1 Roger Federer.
"I felt uncomfortable out there throughout," Ferrero said. "I took too many risks and made too many mistakes."
Winners in second-round play through to the quarterfinals were Chilean (20) Fernando Gonzalez (d. Mantilla) and three Spaniards in former Roland Garros champ Al Costa (d. Koubek), (6) Fernando Verdasco (d. (Q) Luzzi, bagel in the second), and (Q)Ivan Navarro Pastor (d. Dupuis from a set down).
"I came to Valencia to win," Gonzalez said. "In these first two matches, I have been feeling really at home on clay."
Scheduled for Thursday in Valencia are (7) Andreev vs. "You Say" Potito Starace, Kuerten vs. A.Martin, Guillermo "G-Lo" Garcia-Lopez vs. (3) Nadal in an all-Spanish, and Irakli "Freak Show" Labadze vs. (5) Ferrer.