Federer, Ljubicic Renew Rivalry in Miami Final
Posted on April 1, 2006MIAMI, Fl - The rivalry between world No. 1 Roger Federer and Croatian serving machine Ivan Ljubicic will be renewed in the Sunday final at the Masters Series-Miami after the Swiss on Friday efficiently dispatched of Spaniard David Ferrer 6-1, 6-4, and Ljubicic powered past David Nalbandian 6-1, 6-2.
In 2005 the pair faced each other five times, with the Swiss winning all five, though three of the meetings went three sets. In 2006 their lone meeting was in Indian Wells, where Federer lost only five games. Ljubicic has won three of their 12 encounters, all before the Swiss ascended to the No. 1 ranking.
Ljubicic's match against Nalbandian was a rout, with the Croatian overpowering the world No. 3-ranked Argentine 6-1, 6-2.
To chants of "Davide! Davide!" from the pro-Argentine Miami crowd, Nalbandian held for a 2-1 lead in the second set, before a couple games later dropping serve after a slew of unforced errors. Ljubicic powered through his next game where Nalbandian couldn't get a serve back, and Ljubicic ran out the set and the match.
"I tried to play my game, but I never couldn't make it," Nalbandian said. "So was tough. Was windy. He played incredible. So was really tough."
Ljubicic said the match was nothing more than him being "on," which makes it difficult for any opponent.
"Today's match was just, I mean...everything went my way, I have to say, except one challenge call on breakpoint. But everything else was great," Ljubicic said. "I really...I'm serving fantastic and I'm playing well. I'm moving well. I see the ball fantastically. It's really happening all positive for me."
Ljubicic, even in his typical deadpan persona, was jovial in his post-match conference, speaking of friend Goran Ivanisevic and his injury travails.
"Yes, yes, he told me yesterday be careful about your neck, yeah," said Ljubicic about Ivanisevic, who once year had to default the Miami final after waking up with a stiff neck. "I spoke with him yesterday. He said, 'Be careful. If you win (the semifinal), just sleep on the same pillow, don't open the window,' and stuff, yeah...he was deadly serious, yeah, definitely. Actually, he sprained his ankle now. I mean, I told him the other day, 'Just sleep. Just stay at home.' Because anything he does is just horrible (for getting injured)...I mean, many things. Smacking the door, smacking the finger with the doors, running out of racquets in Brighton, yeah. Yeah, many funny stories."
Federer has an easy time in the first set with Ferrer, but then the Spaniard gathering his nerves.
In the second set Ferrer went up a break 2-0 as unforced errors crept into the Swiss' game, then held for 3-0 before Federer broke back for 3-3. Nerves crept in as Ferrer double faulted to give the Swiss a 4-3 break lead, then Federer held at 5-4 to clinch the victory.
Federer was so comfortable in the match that with Ferrer serving at 0-5 in the first set, game point for the Spaniard, the Swiss ran around his backhand to uncork what had to be one of the biggest forehands he has ever hit, drawing a gasp from the crowd with the ball landing just long to gift the Spaniard a game.
"I played very aggressive and tried to do the same in the beginning, but obviously it's not so easy to do that on a consistent basis," Federer said. "I chose again, once I was down 3-Love, to play with a lower risk and sort of make him play a few shots, too, and try to then only go for my shots when I'm really in a good position."
Federer improved to 27-1 on the year with the win, reaching his 11th consecutive final.
In doubles action Friday, No. 2 seeds Bjorkman/Mirnyi beat No. 4 Hanley/Ullyett 6-3, 7-6(1) in the semifinals, and will face the top-seeded Bryan brothers in the Saturday final.
In 2005 the pair faced each other five times, with the Swiss winning all five, though three of the meetings went three sets. In 2006 their lone meeting was in Indian Wells, where Federer lost only five games. Ljubicic has won three of their 12 encounters, all before the Swiss ascended to the No. 1 ranking.
Ljubicic's match against Nalbandian was a rout, with the Croatian overpowering the world No. 3-ranked Argentine 6-1, 6-2.
To chants of "Davide! Davide!" from the pro-Argentine Miami crowd, Nalbandian held for a 2-1 lead in the second set, before a couple games later dropping serve after a slew of unforced errors. Ljubicic powered through his next game where Nalbandian couldn't get a serve back, and Ljubicic ran out the set and the match.
"I tried to play my game, but I never couldn't make it," Nalbandian said. "So was tough. Was windy. He played incredible. So was really tough."
Ljubicic said the match was nothing more than him being "on," which makes it difficult for any opponent.
"Today's match was just, I mean...everything went my way, I have to say, except one challenge call on breakpoint. But everything else was great," Ljubicic said. "I really...I'm serving fantastic and I'm playing well. I'm moving well. I see the ball fantastically. It's really happening all positive for me."
Ljubicic, even in his typical deadpan persona, was jovial in his post-match conference, speaking of friend Goran Ivanisevic and his injury travails.
"Yes, yes, he told me yesterday be careful about your neck, yeah," said Ljubicic about Ivanisevic, who once year had to default the Miami final after waking up with a stiff neck. "I spoke with him yesterday. He said, 'Be careful. If you win (the semifinal), just sleep on the same pillow, don't open the window,' and stuff, yeah...he was deadly serious, yeah, definitely. Actually, he sprained his ankle now. I mean, I told him the other day, 'Just sleep. Just stay at home.' Because anything he does is just horrible (for getting injured)...I mean, many things. Smacking the door, smacking the finger with the doors, running out of racquets in Brighton, yeah. Yeah, many funny stories."
Federer has an easy time in the first set with Ferrer, but then the Spaniard gathering his nerves.
In the second set Ferrer went up a break 2-0 as unforced errors crept into the Swiss' game, then held for 3-0 before Federer broke back for 3-3. Nerves crept in as Ferrer double faulted to give the Swiss a 4-3 break lead, then Federer held at 5-4 to clinch the victory.
Federer was so comfortable in the match that with Ferrer serving at 0-5 in the first set, game point for the Spaniard, the Swiss ran around his backhand to uncork what had to be one of the biggest forehands he has ever hit, drawing a gasp from the crowd with the ball landing just long to gift the Spaniard a game.
"I played very aggressive and tried to do the same in the beginning, but obviously it's not so easy to do that on a consistent basis," Federer said. "I chose again, once I was down 3-Love, to play with a lower risk and sort of make him play a few shots, too, and try to then only go for my shots when I'm really in a good position."
Federer improved to 27-1 on the year with the win, reaching his 11th consecutive final.
In doubles action Friday, No. 2 seeds Bjorkman/Mirnyi beat No. 4 Hanley/Ullyett 6-3, 7-6(1) in the semifinals, and will face the top-seeded Bryan brothers in the Saturday final.