David Ferrer Defeats Matosevic

Written by: Staff on 26th May 2013

Sony Open tennis tournament on Key Biscayne

David Ferrer Defeats Matosevic

epa03642991 David Ferrer of Spain returns the ball to Juergen Melzer of Austria during their quarter final match at the Sony Open tennis tournament in Miami, Florida, USA, 27 March 2013. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER |

(Original Story: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2013/05/22/Roland-Garros-Sunday-Ferrer.aspx )

It may have been straight sets, but David Ferrer did not have it all his own way against Marinko Matosevic on Sunday at Roland Garros. The Spaniard was broken five times, and trailed by a double break at the start of the second set, but fought hard to record a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory. Ferrer has never lost a first-round match in 11 successive appearances at the Paris Grand Slam.

“It is not easy to play with Matosevic because he has a very good serve, very good power with his shots, and sometimes, I can’t play my game,” said Ferrer. “In the final [part] of the second and third sets, I played better. I [was] more consistent with my game and I happy because I’m in the second round.”

The 31-year-old Ferrer matched his best Grand Slam result when he reached the semi-finals for the first time at Roland Garros last year (l. to Nadal). The Valencia resident has been a losing Grand Slam semi-finalist five times and if he is to make his first final, he will need to come through a half that includesRoger Federer, Tomas Berdych and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Ferrer is second (behind Rafael Nadal) on the ATP World Tour with 32 tour-level wins this year, taking in titles at the Heineken Open in Auckland (d. Kohlschreiber) and the Copa Claro in Buenos Aires (d. Wawrinka).

India’s Somdev Devvarman set a second-round clash with the second-seeded Federer after beating Daniel Munoz-De La Nava 6-3, 6-3, 7-5. Federer won their one previous clash, two years ago on hard court in Dubai.

Viktor Troicki dismissed James Blake 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in 88 minutes. Troicki won 53 per cent of his return points to break the American seven times. The two were facing off for the first time.

Topics: David Ferrer, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Marinko Matosevic, Roland Garros, Sports, Tennis News, Tomas Berdych, Tomas Berdych and Jo-Wilfried TsongaTennis