David Ferrer beats Richard Gasquet to book a date with Rafael Nadal in Rome – Tennis Special
Spanish number two, David Ferrer, made it to the last four players in the Internazionali BNL d'Italia on Friday at the expense of the 22nd ranked French, Richard Gasquet. He dug deep to win the first set but faced little
trouble in the second set to register a 7-6(4), 6-3 straight sets win.
Gasquet commenced the proceedings with a serve hold and Ferrer followed him. Both players bagged the following serve games to move the scores at 2-2. The shackles were broken by the Spaniard who clinched the first breakthrough
of the match in the fifth game. He consolidated his position with a serve hold and exerted immense pressure on his rival.
The French tennis ace didn’t lose heart and replied back in the eighth game with a breakthrough. He saved the set with a serve hold and both players bagged the following serve games as well to enforce the tie-breaker round into
play.
A cautious start was witnessed to the tie-breaker round. However, the sixth ranked Spaniard pocketed the mini-break and rounded it off with a sublime cross-court winner to sneak a set lead. The French contender was very disappointed
at his lack of concentration towards the end and even hinted at smashing the racquet to the floor.
Frustration usually dismantles the confidence as well and Gasquet was the victim of the same phenomenon. Swap of breakpoints at the start of the second set were coupled with successive serve holds that moved the scores to 3-3.
Ferrer finally broke the deadlock with a stunning winner down the line to clinch the second break of the set and take the lead of 5-3. Sudden change in the scores put the French on the verge of the elimination and he had to break
serve to keep the set alive. The luck was not on his side and a couple of winners missed the sideline from a hair.
The Spaniard clasped the final game of the match and reached the semi-final stage of the tournament where he will take on his compatriot, Rafael Nadal, who is also the King of Clay. Nadal is expected to win the match but considering
the fact that Ferrer has been in sublime run of form throughout the tournament, the possibility of an upset can’t be written off completely.
The other two successful semi-finalists include the likes of the number one Serb, Novak Djokovic, and the Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer. It will be another big matchup between the two of the great tennis players in the history.
Everyone is eager to witness such a big matchup. If Nadal manages to clinch the title in Rome, he will snatch his second spot in the world back from the Swiss third seed.
Many things are on the stake; Djokovic is defending the title, Federer is saving his number two spot and Nadal is eyeing to reclaim his place. Ferrer is also looking to move up in the ranking and thrash the French number one, Jo-Wilfried
Tsonga, out of the list of Top-5 players. Three epic matchups are coming your way.
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