Ferrero ousts Birthday Boy Monfils – Haas and Fish roll on at US Open

Written by: Global Chick on 2nd September 2011

Ferrero ousts Birthday Boy Monfils - Haas and Fish roll on at US Open

Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain (R) and Gael Monfils of France (L) embrace after their second round match on the fourth day of the 2011 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA 01 September 2011. The US Open runs through 11 September 2011. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

Former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero halted the No. 7 seed Frenchman Gael Monfils’ US Open campaign today.

The Spaniard toughed out a five set win 7-6 (5) 5-7 6-7(5) 6-4 6-4 on Louis Armstrong Stadium earlier today. Ferrero is making a comeback after having problems with injuries, which have seen him miss quite a few tournaments in the last year.

Ferrero made 52 unforced errors compared to Monfils’ 81. The French player made 81 winners and Ferrero 34. Monfils who is celebrating his birthday today reflected on the match, “Today is a good day for me. It’s my birthday. My mom was there. You know all the time my mom say, you win, you lose, you give your best. I think today I sort of smile at my mom even though I lost so I was quite happy.”

The match lasted four hours and 46 minutes. After the match the players received a standing ovation. Ferrero said about the crowd, “At the end I think they love this kind of matches.”

Ferrero’s third round opponent will be Spain’s Marcel Granollers. The No. 31 seed shook off Kazakhstani Mikhail Kukushkin 7-5 6-3 6-4.

Germany’s veteran player Tommy Haas won against Colombian Alejandro Falla in three sets 7-6 (5) 6-1 7-5. Haas has been out due to hip surgery but is proving he can still compete with the young players of today.

Haas can look forward to a clash against Juan Monaco in the third round The Argentinian got through his match today leading 2-0 when his opponent the No. 23 seed Radek Stepanek retired.

In-form American Mardy Fish can do no wrong on court these days. Fish downed Malek Jaziri of Tunisia 6-2 6-2 6-4. Fish admitted today, “I haven’t been tested that much. I’m not going to take it for granted, but I’m playing well and I am confident.”

The match today lasted just under two hours and was very one sided. Fish is going to have to find his rhythm early in the third round, which is not always easy against big serving South African Kevin Anderson. Anderson breezed past tricky French player Michael Llodra 6-1 6-2 6-2.