Hewitt Halts Ferrero's Brave Rotterdam Run
Hewitt Halts Ferrero's Brave Rotterdam Run
Lleyton Hewitt has charged to fourth place in the INDESIT ATP 2004 Race after
stopping Juan Carlos Ferrero's brave Rotterdam run in the ABN AMRO World Tennis
Tournament final on Sunday. Hewitt collected his 21st ATP title by defeating
the Spaniard 6-7(1), 7-5, 6-4.
Hewitt, the INDESIT ATP Race winner in 2001 and 2002, surged to fourth from
eighth after collecting 50 points for his second title of the season. Hewitt
is now 14-1 on the year, having won the Rotterdam and Sydney titles. His only
loss of 2004 came to eventual champion Roger Federer in the fourth round of
the Australian Open.
Ferrero, who had won three consecutive third-set tie-breaks to reach the final,
improved one place to third in the INDESIT ATP 2004 Race. Ferrero's toughest
victory came in the quarterfinals against Dutchman Raemon Sluiter when he won
12-10 in the third-set tie-break after saving two match points.
In contrast, Hewitt did not drop a set en route to the final despite meeting
quality opposition: Fernando Gonzalez, Thomas Johansson, Rainer Schuettler and
Tim Henman.
Hewitt, who turns 23 on Tuesday, took an early 2-0 lead in the first set of
the final but Ferrero bounced back to force a tie-break, in which he took an
early 5-0 lead and eventually won it 7-1. On his way to victory Hewitt broke
the Spaniard’s serve in the last games of the second and third set; the only
breaks of serve in the remainder of the match.
Hewitt climbs back into the Top 10 in the INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking and will
overtake Mark Philippoussis to be the No. 1 Australian by moving into ninth
position. Ferrero will retake second place from Andy Roddick, who moved to
No. 2 last Monday.
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WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID
Lleyton Hewitt
http://www.atptennis.com/en/common/TrackItA.asp?file=http://wm.atptennis-global.speedera.net/wm.atptennis-global/hewitt_rotterdam7.wma
Juan Carlos Ferrero
http://www.atptennis.com/en/common/TrackItA.asp?file=http://wm.atptennis-global.speedera.net/wm.atptennis-global/ferrero_rotterdam7.wma
Hewitt: “It was an extremely tough match. It was never going to be easy, I had
to play my best tennis and Ferrero played extremely well. Every time
we’ve played against each other we have had very tough matches. This
was just another one of those. He is a tough opponent, he doesn’t
give you too many cheap points. It was going to be a tough match, I
dug deep today and kept fighting.
It’s always a pleasure playing Juan Carlos, he is such a great
competitor.
“I’m very happy, it was a very high standard match today. The first
set could have gone either way, the same with the second and third.
From the baseline we were having a bit of a slugfest out there. I just
had to try to hang in there and find a way to win.
“I really stepped it up match by match. You look at the five guys
I’ve beaten to win the tournament, it’s a pretty good field. I’ve
really enjoyed the week. I’m happy to get my second title of the year.
“It’s a great tournament. It’s my first time here and Richard
Krajicek has put on a wonderful event. It’s been a real pleasure to
play in front of this crowd."
Ferrero: “I played a lot of sets, I think it was too much. In the third set
I wasn’t feeling as comfortable as I had wanted. He had played fewer
sets than me and he was playing very good at the end. He was playing
very solid with no mistakes. He was fighting all the time like always.
It’s always difficult to beat him.
“I’m disappointed but I also think I could have lost in third set of
the second or third round or in the quarterfinal so I had a lot of
luck this week. To lose in the final 6-4 in the third, of course I am
little bit sad but it was a good tournament."
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