David Ferrer beats Adrian Mannarino to advance to the third round of Mutua Madrid Open
Spanish number two David Ferrer, ranked sixth in the world, came back strong after the second set thrashing to down world number 59 Adrian Mannarino of France in three sets 7-5, 0-6, 6-0 in the second round at the Mutua Madrid
Open in Madrid on Tuesday. It took the Spaniard one hour and 54 minutes to undo his opponent in a tough contest.
Mannarino started the match strongly as he broke Ferrer in the very first game of the opening set and held his serve in the next game to take a 2-0 lead. Ferrer broke back in the sixth game as Mannarino hit a backhand long, leveling
the score at 3-3. Serving to take the set to a tie-break at 5-6, Mannarino failed to hold his serve, losing the set 5-7.
Ferrer fired two aces and 56 percent of the first serves, converting 71 percent of them into points in the opening set. The Spaniard capitalized on both break points he created in the first set. The right-handed saved one of the
two break points he faced in the opening set.
After losing a thrilling first set, Mannarino crushed Ferrer in the second set, not allowing the Spaniard to win even a single game and winning a bagel set 6-0.
The French won despite serving averagely as he delivered just 41 percent of the first serves and won 86 percent of the points on them in the second set. The 22-year-old converted three of the six break points he received in the
second set.
Ferrer responded in the same manner in the final set, breaking his opponent three times and winning six straight games to capture the set 6-0.
The Spaniard fired a couple of aces and 74 percent of the first serves in the deciding set. The 29-year-old claimed 76 percent of the first service points in the third set. The five feet and nine inches tall converted all three
break points chances he created in the final set.
Commenting on the match, Ferrer said, "Honestly, it was a tough match, I won the first set but it was very difficult. I started out with very bad feeling, but on the other hand I started the match out pretty well in relation to
the altitude and he had just come from playing other matches so it wasn't easy. “
The Spaniard added, “In the second set he played better had more confidence and I didn’t have good feelings again and couldn’t beat him on the court. But I was more calm in the third set and I did a bit better."
Ferrer will take on Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine in the third round.
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