Ferrer v Acasuso in ATP Stuttgart FinalPosted on July 23, 2006 David Ferrer will look to secure his first singles title for four years at the Mercedes Cup on Sunday. The third-seeded Spaniard knocked out No. 2 seed Tomas Berdych 6-3, 7-5 in the semifinals.
Berdych, currently No. 15 in the INDESIT ATP Rankings just three places above his opponent, served one of four double faults on match point to give Ferrer a place in his fifth career final. Ferrer had led 5-2 in the second set. Ferrer will play Jose Acasuso, the Argentine he beat when he captured the 2002 Bucharest title. Since then the 24-year-old has been runner-up at Umag in 2002 (l. to Moya), Sopot in 2003 (l. to Coria) and last season in Valencia (l. to Andreev). In Stuttgart's second semifinal, Acasuso fought back to beat compatriot Juan Monaco 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in two hours and 25 minutes. Acasuso, No. 32 in the INDESIT ATP Rankings, won their only previous career meeting at Sopot in 2004. Acasuso won just six of 26 return points in the first set, but fought back to break the Monaco serve on seven of nine opportunities. The 23-year-old captured his third career ATP title in Vina del Mar in February, adding to silverware collected in Sopot fours years ago and Bucharest in 2004. Since Ferrer and Acasuso's first career meeting in Bucharest, Acasuso has won four straight -- their most recent coming in the first round of ATP Masters Series Rome in May. The winner of Sunday's best-of-five-sets final will take home 100,000 in prize money, 250 INDESIT ATP Rankings Points and a new Mercedes-Benz CLK 200 Kompressor convertible. -- ATP |
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