In a battle for valuable year-end No. 1 ranking points, Juan Carlos Ferrero defeated Roger Federer 6-4 4-6 6-4 in one hour and 52 minutes in the 2003 Madrid Masters semifinal. The local star won a point more than the Wimbledon champion, offering Roger just two break chances and earning two breaks to advance to the final.
The Swiss had more winners and forced errors, with a slight advantage on the shorter rallies and less efficient numbers on the longer rallies to keep Ferrero in contention. The Spaniard got a break in the fifth game of the match to increase the advantage.
He served well and gave up two points after the opening blow to clinch the set 6-4. Federer took command in the second set, serving well and earning a break at 15 in game 10 to introduce a decider. Still, Ferrero played at a higher level, breaking in game five after a game-winning comeback and a pair of double faults from Roger.
The local favorites brought the game home to find themselves in the title clash. “I was not happy with my game today. I had some good moments, but the others were full of ups and downs. My return was horrible in the first set.
Maybe his serve has improved, I don’t know, but it has worked well for him. It cost me the rhythm and the reading of the serve. Things improved for me in sets two and three, but not enough to cross the finish line in first place.
I have played consistent tennis for a whole season; It took me a couple of years to get to that level and stay at a high level for three or four weeks straight. Here in Madrid I never picked up the rhythm; I’ve been saying it since the first game.»
Stricker comments on King Roger
In a recent interview with the ATP, World No. 116 Dominic Stricker spoke about his experiences while training with tennis legend and compatriot Roger Federer. «Of course, if you live in Switzerland, my big idol had to be Roger Federer,» Stricker said.
«Roger is Swiss and he has a pretty similar game to the one I would like to play.» Stricker’s trainer, Sven Swinnen, who was Federer’s practice partner as a teenager at the Swiss National Federation.
«It’s lucky,» Stricker’s trainer Sven Swinnen said. «Roger invited Dominic to Dubai twice for some practice, some pre-season stuff, so that was really helpful. Roger knows us quite well now and we got some really good advice.» of the».
