Juan Carlos Ferrero Sets a Date with Fate
Tuesday, April 30, 2002

Taken From www.rolandgarros.com

Juan Carlos Ferrero raised the Masters Series trophy in Monte Carlo for the first time this year, and if past performances are anything to go by, that just about makes him favourite for Roland Garros.

Juan Carlos Ferrero left Monte Carlo in triumph - and in hope. After all, in the last ten years, no less than four winners of the Monte Carlo Country Club clay-court tournament have gone on to win at Roland Garros five weeks later. On that basis, the young Spaniard can legitimately hope to follow in the footsteps of Sergi Bruguera (1993), Thomas Muster (1995), Carlos Moya (1998) and Gustavo Kuerten (2001).

Ferrero was on fire in the Monte Carlo final, dispatching Carlos Moya in straight sets (7/5, 6/3, 6/4). His route to the final had not been without the odd scare, though. In a thrilling second round encounter with his compatriot Felix Mantilla, he led 5/2 in the third set, before losing steam and letting his opponent back into the match. He then had to save a match point at 5/6 before clinching the final set tie-break.

In the semi-final, fate lent him a helping hand when a thunderstorm broke the rhythm of Sébastien Grosjean, when he was poised to level the match at one set all (3/6, 5/0). When play resumed, the weather was cold and humid, and although the French No. 1 took the second set, he dropped his service early in the third, as rain again interrupted play. When the players returned to the court for the second time at 7.30pm, the Marseillais was caught unawares and watched the last four games slip away in just 20 minutes (6/3, 1/6, 6/0).

The coronation of Juan Carlos Ferrero has surprised nobody. At 22, he is the archetypal Spanish clay-court genius, who only differs from his predecessors in the way he takes the ball very early. His refusal to retreat behind the baseline, coupled with vicious topspin, makes him a potential French Open champion, and his chances look better still when one considers that for the last two years, Gustavo Kuerten has blocked Ferrero's progress to the final. The Spaniard seems to have learned his lesson and bulked up physically. He may still be on the slim side, but his not-so-slight frame will command big respect in Paris.