Ferrer Defeats Kei Nishikori to Claim His Fourth Mexico Open Title

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

David Ferrer is El Rey in Mexico…

The 32-year-old Spanish tennis player won his fourth Mexico Open title over the weekend, beating top-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-3, 7-5 in the hard-court event.

It’s the third title for Ferrer in 2015. He previously won in Doha in January and in Rio de Janeiro earlier in February.

He won his previous Mexico titles — in 2010, 2011 and 2012 — on clay.

“Tonight I played my best match this week,” said Ferrer. “For sure. I played very aggressive, without mistakes. I’m very happy. To win here a fourth time is a dream.

“I tried to play my forehand to his forehand and with more energy. In important moments, he made more mistakes and I took my chances. I feel very confident with my tennis now. I’ve won three tournaments this year and we’ve only began the season.”

As champion, the 24-time ATP World Tour titlist received $343,000 in prize money and 500 Emirates ATP Ranking points.

Nishikori won in Memphis, Tennessee, two weeks ago for his eighth tour title. He lost to Marin Cilic last year in the U.S. Open final.

Ferrer Replacing the Injured Milos Roanic at the ATP Finals

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

He may have no chance of advancing, but David Ferrer will still get some time on the courts at the ATP Finals.

The 32-year-old Spanish tennis player has replaced Milos Roanic at the year-end tournament. The switch comes after the Canadian player withdrew with a quad injury before his final round-robin match against Japan’s Kei Nishikori on Thursday.

The seventh-seeded Raonic, who lost his first two matches in Group B in straight sets, will be replaced by Ferrer, the first alternate at the ATP Finals.

“As badly as I wanted to play, you’ve got to be at the top of your game here and I couldn’t be close to that today,” said the big-serving Canadian. “Wouldn’t have been fair to the fans if I had played a mediocre match or had to stop.”

Six-time champion Roger Federer will take on Andy Murray in the group’s other match. If the 17-time Grand Slam champion beats Murray and Nishikori defeats Ferrer, then the Scot will be eliminated from the indoor event.

Ferrer, who trained in London this week, has no chance of making it to the semifinals. At the Paris Masters last month, he saw his hopes of qualifying for the Finals vanish after losing a tough battle to Nishikori in the quarterfinals. The Spaniard came within two points of victory but failed to hold on to his lead.

Raonic, one of the three newcomers in London with Marin Cilic and Nishikori, said he picked up his injury during his defeat to Murray.

“I have a slight tear in my quad and a large area of swelling,” he said. “I’ve had a great time here. It motivates me a lot to come here next year and do better than I did.”

Ferrer Defeats Tommy Robredo to Reach Western & Southern Open Semifinals

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

David Ferrer is hoping to advance to his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final in 2014.

The 32-year-old Spanish tennis star outlasted his compatriot Tommy Robredo in a hard-fought match on Friday to reach his first Western & Southern Open semifinal in 11 trips to Cincinnati.

It’s Ferrer’s third semifinal at the Masters 1000 level in 2014. He lost in the semifinals in Monte Carlo to Stanislas Wawrinka; and he lost to Kei Nishikori in the semifinals in Madrid.

With his 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory, Ferrer denied Robredo – who had defeated World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the round of 16 – his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semifinal in eight years.

Ferrer is also closing in on the 600-win plateau, improving to 590-285 with his win.

Currently ranked No. 6 in the world, Ferrer claimed the 10th encounter (8-2) with the 16th-seeded Robredo in two hours and six minutes, winning 74 per cent of first serve points and breaking serve on four of 11 chances.

Robredo was unable to overcome 51 unforced errors and 19 forehand winners by Ferrer.

“Well, it’s not easy play against a friend,” said Ferrer. “Tommy and I have played a lot of times in our careers. I wish him the best luck for the next tournaments.”

Nadal Wins His Fourth Title at the Madrid Open

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Rafael Nadal is back in title-winning form…

The 27-year-old Spanish tennis star, currently ranked No. 1 in the world, won his fourth Madrid Open title on Sunday after Japan’s Kei Nishikori was forced to retire their match with an injury when trailing 2-6, 6-4, 3-0 in the men’s final.

Nishikori’s powerful groundstrokes helped him win the first set against the Nadal, who couldn’t find a way to counter his opponent.

Nadal slowly worked his way back into the match and broke Nishikori twice in the second set to even the match.

But Nishikori was in obvious discomfort in the third, even receiving treatment on his lower back during a medical timeout, before calling it quits.

Nadal recovered from two recent quarterfinal round losses on clay to win his second title on the surface this year. He began his clay court season with a quarterfinal loss to David Ferrer in the Monte Carlo Masters. He was also stunned by Nicolas Almagro in the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open.

Giraldo Upsets Nicolas Almagro to Reach Barcelona Open Final

Posted on April 27, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Santiago Giraldo is one step closer to earning his first career ATP title…

The 26-year-old Colombian professional tennis player, currently ranked No. 65 in the world, beat Spain’s Nicolas Almagro 7-5, 6-3 on Saturday to reach the Barcelona Open final.

Giraldo will face fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori after the Japanese player beat Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-2, 6-4 in the other semifinal on the red outdoor clay.

Almagro slumped to his first loss in six meetings with Giraldo, a day after one of his biggest wins when he upset eight-time winner Rafael Nadal at the Real Club de Tenis.

“Yesterday’s game doesn’t serve as an excuse,” Almagro said. “Giraldo grazed perfection today, above all in the first set, and I couldn’t find the answer.”

The unseeded Giraldo will be playing for his first career title on Sunday after he saved six of seven break points and finished the match with an emphatic ace.

“I have always dreamed of reaching the top spots of the ATP ranking and tomorrow is a first step,” Giraldo said. “But I am staying calm. I will keep to my routine and tomorrow will be a day to enjoy and play the best tennis I can.”

Giraldo prevailed in a match that featured several long rallies by proving more precise with his long groundstrokes.

The first set was heading for a tiebreaker until Giraldo snatched it away by breaking Almagro’s last service game when he swatted a forehand return by the feet of the last year’s finalist.

Almagro got an early break in the second set, but Giraldo won it right back and took control as Almagro’s nerves frayed with the match slipping away.

“He believed more in his tennis, in how he had to play, and he barely made any mistakes,” Almagro said. “I committed errors when I could have gone in front. That was the key.”

Ramos Upsets Nikolay Davydenko at the Barcelona Open

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s home field advantage for Albert Ramos…

The 26-year-old Spanish professional tennis player upset Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 6-4 in the first round of the Barcelona Open to set up a meeting against top-ranked Rafael Nadal.

Ramos will play the defending champion and eight-time winner during Wednesday’s second-round match.

Nadal was knocked out of the quarterfinals of the preceding Monte Carlo Masters — his earliest exit from the clay-court tournament since 2003.

In second-round play on Tuesday, fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan was a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 winner over Spain’s Roberto Bautista.

No. 16 Benoit Paire of France was the only seeded player to exit, retiring at 6-4, 5-1 down to Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan.

Nadal Advances to Sony Open Men’s Final with Walkover

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Rafael Nadal has advanced to the men’s final at the Sony Open… without breaking a sweat.

The 27-year-old Spanish tennis star, the tournament’s No. 1 seed, will meet Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final after both their opponents pulled out of the semifinals in Miami.

Nadal advanced without hitting a single ball after Tomas Berdych was laid low by gastroenteritis.

“I woke up at 7.30am with pain in my stomach,” said the Czech seventh seed.

Djokovic, the second seed, progressed when Japan’s Kei Nishikori withdrew from their match with a groin injury.

“I couldn’t move from side to side,” said the 20th seed. “I am disappointed about not getting a chance to play.”

Nadal and Djokovic will meet for the 40th time on Sunday, with the Spaniard 22-17 ahead in their personal battle but having lost the last two encounters.

Nadal Survives Milos Raonic to Reach the Sony Open Semifinals

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Despite a disappointing first set, Rafael Nadal is still in the running at the Sony Open in Miami.

The 27-year-old Spanish tennis star advanced to the semifinals on Thursday by hitting a flurry of forehand winners in the late stretch to beat Canada’s Milos Raonic 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.

The No. 1-ranked player in the world, who is 0-3 in the Key Biscayne tournament finals, needs one more win to get there again.

His opponent Friday night will be No. 7-seeded Tomas Berdych, who advanced by beating No. 22 Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-4, 7-6 (3).

Nadal has beaten Berdych 16 times in a row over the past seven years.

“This tournament is a tournament where I really feel the love of the people so much,” Nadal said, “so I’m going to try my best to keep playing well.”

Three-time champion Novak Djokovic will play in the other semifinal Friday against No. 20-seeded Kei Nishikori, who eliminated Roger Federer on Wednesday.

Monaco Outlasts Benneteau to Claim the Malaysian Open Title

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Mónaco has picked up yet another ATP title…

The 28-year-old Argentinean tenista beat France’s Julien Benneteau on Sunday to win the Malaysian Open. It’s Monaco’s fourth title this season, following tournament titles in Chile, Houston and Germany.

Mónaco, currently ranked No. 11 in the world, needed just over three hours to edge out Benneteau 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in the tournament’s longest match this year for his first hard-court title.

It was the first meeting between Mónaco, a clay-court specialist, and the 34th-ranked Benneteau, who beat top-seeded David Ferrer of Spain in the semifinals.

To reach the finals, Monaco had to come back from 5-2 down in the final set to defeat Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (4).

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