David Ferrer vs Feliciano Lopez – Semi-final Preview: Shanghai Rolex Masters 2011
Firing up on Saturday, 15th October, Feliciano Lopez goes on to battle out for the final round seat of Shanghai Rolex Masters 2011 against his all time rival, compatriot and world No.5, David Ferrer. Playing on hard
blue outdoor court, the two will start off the semi-final round at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai, China.
Friends off court, the pair are fierce rivals on court. Totalling 10 matches head-to-head, Lopez leads the scores by six wins against Ferrer’s four. Although the two have a huge disparity in ranking, Lopez outranks most of his
opponents when it comes to hard courts.
Starting off the season slow, the world no.28, finally got his wheels rolling at the end. Losing only to the top 5 this season, Lopez has certainly made a strong impression this season.
The veteran Spaniard made his best at Serbian Open, when he made it to the final losing to Serbian Novak Djokovic. His best at a Grand Slam this season came at Wimbledon, when he made it all the way to a quarterfinal losing to
the Brit world no.4, Andy Murray.
Ferrer, on the contrary, has been a stunner. Aged 29, the “old dog” has defended his ranking surprisingly well. Considered the best in all surface players, Ferrer records a marvellous 50-14 win loss mark for the season, shadowed
only by the top four.
Renowned as ‘the Wall’ in tennis, Ferrer has no specialities or super weapons in his backpack, however, his fitness on court proves sufficient to overcome his opponent. Looking at his performance in the Shanghai Rolex Masters 2011,
Ferrer has had a number of comeback winners.
Comparing the two professionally, Ferrer has a higher position. Ranked world No.5, agile, strong ground shots, and considered the best returner of the game, other than Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, make him a favourite for
the semi-final match.
However, this is where it all falls down. Lopez has been a major contender for the title after doing away with favourites. Considered as the upset for this tour, the former world No.20 definitely is a scare for his compatriot.
The winner of the match would make his way into the final of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event. As ranking goes, Ferrer is clearly the winner. However, Lopez’s statistical edge over the Spaniard number two could prove to be
a major game changer. Regardless of who emerges as the winner, the match is expected to be an enthralling and exciting one.
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