David Ferrer all geared up for the Heineken Open 2012 – Tennis News
Defending champion and the current world number five, David Ferrer of Spain has confirmed his participation at the Heineken Open 2012, an ATP World Tour 250 series event held on the outdoor hard courts in Auckland, New Zealand.
With prize money of $436,000, Heineken Open takes place from January 10th through January 15thannually. It is the 36th edition of this tournament and takes place at ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland.
Heineken Open Tournament director Richard Palmer said about the top five Spaniard, “David said he would return and has honoured that promise. As his ranking shows, he has had a great year and cemented his place as one of the world’s
top players. Auckland seems to help him kick off his year in a positive fashion.”
The Spaniard will be making his seventh appearance on this New Zealand’s hard court event. He has an amazing record of reaching in the last eight except once. Furthermore, Ferrer triumphed in Auckland in 2007 as well and is entering
this tournament for the first time as a top five player.
In his last appearance at Heineken Open, Ferrer was a top seed and ranked seventh in the South African Airways ATP World Tour rankings. He received a first round bye after being a top four seed of the event and rallied past German
Tobias Kamke in his opening round match in three sets. The high spirited Spaniard then battled past eight seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber in brutal three sets before lifting his level of game in the semis.
The fired up veteran than eased past Colombian Santiago Giraldo to lock horns with sixth seeded Argentinean David Nalbandian in the title-round. Ferrer then blasted away the Argentinean in straight sets to triumph the title.
29-year-old Ferrer has an outstanding 2011 season as he made final berths at Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Bastad and Stockholm. Further mustering the on-going season, he made a last four showing at Australian Open and triumphed second
year-to-date title at Acapulco; first one was here at Heineken Open.
Ferrer’s compatriot Fernando Verdasco will be joining him in Auckland. The director further stated, “The Spaniards seem to like coming to Auckland, and it is great to finally get Fernando to play in the Heineken Open. Not only
is he a fresh face but he is also a very accomplished player as his record testifies. Over the years, many people have asked if it was possible to get him here.”
27-year-old lefthander, currently ranked 23rd in the ATP rankings, made quarter-final berths at Queens, Washington and Beijing this season. He also reached the last four in Hamburg and was runner up in San Jose, Estoril
and Gstaad.
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