Copa Telmex Quarterfinal - Short-time Work for David

(Gustavo Castaing/Copa Telmex)

After less than an hour of play, David's opponent Juan Carlos Ferrero retired with a thigh injury today, granting David a 6-3, 3-0 (ret.) victory and safe passage to tomorrow's semifinals. There, he will meet his fellow countryman and probably soon-to-be Davis Cup teammate Juan Monaco. David has a 2-0 match record against Monaco but they haven't played against each other since 2005.


An even briefer than usual summary...
The first four games I could only follow via the scoreboard, noticing that David failed to convert 4 break points in the course of Ferrero's first two service games until on the fifth he finally managed to get the break for a 2-1 lead. David was able to consolidate this break but only just, as he now had to fend off a break point himself, which he did, going up 3-1.
From then on, I was able to quit the scoreboard and watch the rest of the match, though on a very bad stream, which left much to the viewer's imagination. In any case, I was able to more or less see the great return game David played at this point. Including 3 winners, one of them an amazing forehand down the line, the shot that earned him the double break, 4-1.
After that game, Ferrero called for the trainer and had his right thigh strapped up. This caused a several minute delay and when play finally resumed, David had apparently lost his focus a little... And ended up giving one break back, partly because of some lazy errors, partly because Ferrero now playing better again, 4-2. Serving to stay in the set at 5-3, Ferrero quickly went down 0-40. David wasted 2 set points with poor returns but finally won the set on the third, as a Ferrero committed an unforced error. 6-3.

Set 2 saw David serving first and starting with an incredible drop-shot winner - but facing a break point shortly after. He saved it with deep aggressive groundstrokes, forcing Ferrero to come up with the error. Afterwards on deuce, a backhand from David was initially called out but Ferrero decided that the ball had been good and conceded the point. And David eventually held for 1-0. Then followed another great return game from David, with 2 clean return winners, the first setting up 3 break points and the second securing the break, 2-0. David's next game, the one that should turn out to be the last of the match, was also a quick affair, 3 errors from Ferrero and a last backhand long-line made it 3-0 for David.
- And then Ferrero retired.

It was surely not the end anyone would've wanted for this match. On the other hand, David saves energy for his semifinal match tomorrow. And though he seemed to sometimes struggle with his backhand today (while the forehand seemed fairly solid), he kept his promise. This match, though shortened by Ferrero's retirement, was definitely better and much more entertaining than the last one.


Match Stats...
1st serve: 51%
Aces: 2
DFs: 0
BP Conversion: 4/10
Points won on 1st serve: 70%
Points won on 2nd serve: 58%


(EFE)