Photos from Yahoo! Sports and Official ATP Site
Pic 1: Stretch
Pic 2: Forehand
Pic 3: Fist pump
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Ferrero defuses the Scud, Moya eases through at Rome Masters
ROME (AFP) - Spanish number two seed Juan Carlos Ferrero, widely regarded as the favourite for the French Open later this month, was pushed all the way before defeating Mark Philippoussis in a tricky first round match here at the Rome Masters clay court event.
Winner of ATP titles this year in Monaco and Valencia, Ferrero eventually tamed Philippoussis' big serve to beat the giant Australian 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 and set up a last 16 clash against Spaniard Alex Corretja.
Off to a career best start to the season, Ferrero was made to work hard for his 18th win of the season against a player whose career has been plagued by knee injuries.
Ferrero ducked questions about Roland Garros, saying he hadn't thought that far ahead.
"When I arrive in Paris I will start thinking about the French Open," he said.
"This is an important tournament for me and we have seen how tough it is with Andre Agassi going out yesterday. I'm focusing on this one right now."
[..........]
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JC def Philippoussis 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 in the first round. Next he will play Corretja.
18:44 : Ferrero continues to dominate on the red surface!!!! Great performance!!!!
18:44 : Ferrero holds his nerve and plays Philippoussis around teh court to set up for the kill! He trounces a nice crossed forehand to wrap it up and advance!
18:43 : But he nets just after to give the Spaniard another match point!
18:42 : Philippoussis launches a massive second serve for DEUCE!
18:41 : In a crucial shot, Philippoussis' return is long giving Ferrero a first match point!!!
18:37 : Ferrero is just one game away from a second round birth! but he ONLY has to break Philippoussis! Easy task!!
18:34 : Another stressful game for both players!! Ferrero had two break points that Philippoussis bravely pushed away holding his serve!
18:32 : Philippoussis sets up his shots and produces a very subtle drop shot that Ferrero can't reach! DEUCE
18:31 : Ferrero puts the pressure on Philippoussis and it pays off achieving a break point!
18:27 : It's still a very tight match at the Foro Italico!! Ferrero is still in the lead but Philippoussis is up to serve!
18:19 : Ferrero closes the fifth game of the second set with a strong ace! 3-2 for the Spaniard!
18:17 : This set looks a lot like the first one! Neither player has been able to find a way to outplay the other!!
18:11 : Strong game by Ferrero with thunderous serves and precise shots
18:08 : Philippoussis charges to win his service game!
18:05 : After a series of deuces and hard fought points Philippoussis nest his return and Ferrero finally grasps his opening service game of the set!
18:01 : Ferrero saves it and Philippoussis falters on his return giving the advantage to Ferrero.
18:01 : But The Scud produces a staggering passing shot that leave Ferrero still!!!
18:00 : Ferrero magnificently saves the other one catching Mark wrong footed forcing him to make a sloppy return!
17:59 : Ferrero saves the first one as Philippoussis nets his return
17:59 : Philippoussis strikes back by gaining a couple of break points!
17:57 : The second set is underway!!
17:54 : 7-3 For Ferrero his strong serve forces Philippoussis into the error
17:53 : 6-3 Ferrero, triple set point! The Scud's shot is slighlty long!
17:52 : 5-3 Ferrero Philippoussis' return flies away.
17:52 : 4-3 Ferrero! The Scud nets his return!
17:51 : 3-3 As Ferrero forces Philippoussis out of the court to get a wide open shot!
17:50 : 3-2 Philippousis, he overpowers his forehand a bit!
17:49 : 3-1 Philippoussis! Ferrero's backhand is long
17:48 : 2-1 Philippoussis!
17:48 : 2-0 Philippoussis with a solid return bu the Aussie
17:47 : 1-0 Philippoussis after missed lob by the Spaniard.
17:46 : It's TIE BREAKER TIME!!!!
17:46 : Ferrero holds his serve after a set of solid groundstrokes!!
17:43 : Ferrero managed to go up 0-30 but Philippoussis blasted away a couple of powerful shots to stop Ferrero's charge and hold his serve!
17:38 : This set is going straight into a tie breaker, it seems!!!!
17:36 : Still no break point conversions!!! Ferrero is in great shape wiht a solid baseline game!!!
17:30 : Philippoussis and Ferrero continue to challenge each other and can't seem to squeeze in a break! Strong groundstrokes from Philippoussis and well placed shots by Ferrero!
17:23 : Another massive serve by Philippoussis at 220km/hr
17:22 : Ferrero continues with his tactic and calmly grasp this service game to level the score!
17:18 : Another huge serve by the Scud gives him his serve!
17:18 : Thanks to his missile serve Philippoussis saves the breaks
17:17 : Ferrero romps to 15-40 and has a double break point!!
17:13 : Ferrero in having no trouble at all dealing with Philippoussis's massive power!
17:13 : Clinical play by Ferrero! Great job by getting his forehand into play!!! He levels the set to two all.
17:09 : 214 km/h in Philippoussis last serve!!!! INCREDIBLE! He is hitting the ball very hard and very fast!!! 220km/h to grasp his service game
17:06 : Ferrero answers back with a solid game!!
17:04 : A strong first game by Philippoussis with his particular scud like serve!!!
17:02 : The match is underway!! Philippoussis is serving first
16:55 : This is the fourth match up between the pair and Ferrero leads the series 2-1 and after his performance in clay this year his is the favourite but one can never tell how Philippoussis is going to play!
16:53 : A very challenging match awaits Ferrero against an unpredictable Philippoussis!!! Both players have entered the court and their will begin to warm up in a few moments.
Pic 1: Stretch
Pic 2: Forehand
Pic 3: Fist pump
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Ferrero defuses the Scud, Moya eases through at Rome Masters
ROME (AFP) - Spanish number two seed Juan Carlos Ferrero, widely regarded as the favourite for the French Open later this month, was pushed all the way before defeating Mark Philippoussis in a tricky first round match here at the Rome Masters clay court event.
Winner of ATP titles this year in Monaco and Valencia, Ferrero eventually tamed Philippoussis' big serve to beat the giant Australian 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 and set up a last 16 clash against Spaniard Alex Corretja.
Off to a career best start to the season, Ferrero was made to work hard for his 18th win of the season against a player whose career has been plagued by knee injuries.
Ferrero ducked questions about Roland Garros, saying he hadn't thought that far ahead.
"When I arrive in Paris I will start thinking about the French Open," he said.
"This is an important tournament for me and we have seen how tough it is with Andre Agassi going out yesterday. I'm focusing on this one right now."
[..........]
---------------------------------
JC def Philippoussis 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 in the first round. Next he will play Corretja.
18:44 : Ferrero continues to dominate on the red surface!!!! Great performance!!!!
18:44 : Ferrero holds his nerve and plays Philippoussis around teh court to set up for the kill! He trounces a nice crossed forehand to wrap it up and advance!
18:43 : But he nets just after to give the Spaniard another match point!
18:42 : Philippoussis launches a massive second serve for DEUCE!
18:41 : In a crucial shot, Philippoussis' return is long giving Ferrero a first match point!!!
18:37 : Ferrero is just one game away from a second round birth! but he ONLY has to break Philippoussis! Easy task!!
18:34 : Another stressful game for both players!! Ferrero had two break points that Philippoussis bravely pushed away holding his serve!
18:32 : Philippoussis sets up his shots and produces a very subtle drop shot that Ferrero can't reach! DEUCE
18:31 : Ferrero puts the pressure on Philippoussis and it pays off achieving a break point!
18:27 : It's still a very tight match at the Foro Italico!! Ferrero is still in the lead but Philippoussis is up to serve!
18:19 : Ferrero closes the fifth game of the second set with a strong ace! 3-2 for the Spaniard!
18:17 : This set looks a lot like the first one! Neither player has been able to find a way to outplay the other!!
18:11 : Strong game by Ferrero with thunderous serves and precise shots
18:08 : Philippoussis charges to win his service game!
18:05 : After a series of deuces and hard fought points Philippoussis nest his return and Ferrero finally grasps his opening service game of the set!
18:01 : Ferrero saves it and Philippoussis falters on his return giving the advantage to Ferrero.
18:01 : But The Scud produces a staggering passing shot that leave Ferrero still!!!
18:00 : Ferrero magnificently saves the other one catching Mark wrong footed forcing him to make a sloppy return!
17:59 : Ferrero saves the first one as Philippoussis nets his return
17:59 : Philippoussis strikes back by gaining a couple of break points!
17:57 : The second set is underway!!
17:54 : 7-3 For Ferrero his strong serve forces Philippoussis into the error
17:53 : 6-3 Ferrero, triple set point! The Scud's shot is slighlty long!
17:52 : 5-3 Ferrero Philippoussis' return flies away.
17:52 : 4-3 Ferrero! The Scud nets his return!
17:51 : 3-3 As Ferrero forces Philippoussis out of the court to get a wide open shot!
17:50 : 3-2 Philippousis, he overpowers his forehand a bit!
17:49 : 3-1 Philippoussis! Ferrero's backhand is long
17:48 : 2-1 Philippoussis!
17:48 : 2-0 Philippoussis with a solid return bu the Aussie
17:47 : 1-0 Philippoussis after missed lob by the Spaniard.
17:46 : It's TIE BREAKER TIME!!!!
17:46 : Ferrero holds his serve after a set of solid groundstrokes!!
17:43 : Ferrero managed to go up 0-30 but Philippoussis blasted away a couple of powerful shots to stop Ferrero's charge and hold his serve!
17:38 : This set is going straight into a tie breaker, it seems!!!!
17:36 : Still no break point conversions!!! Ferrero is in great shape wiht a solid baseline game!!!
17:30 : Philippoussis and Ferrero continue to challenge each other and can't seem to squeeze in a break! Strong groundstrokes from Philippoussis and well placed shots by Ferrero!
17:23 : Another massive serve by Philippoussis at 220km/hr
17:22 : Ferrero continues with his tactic and calmly grasp this service game to level the score!
17:18 : Another huge serve by the Scud gives him his serve!
17:18 : Thanks to his missile serve Philippoussis saves the breaks
17:17 : Ferrero romps to 15-40 and has a double break point!!
17:13 : Ferrero in having no trouble at all dealing with Philippoussis's massive power!
17:13 : Clinical play by Ferrero! Great job by getting his forehand into play!!! He levels the set to two all.
17:09 : 214 km/h in Philippoussis last serve!!!! INCREDIBLE! He is hitting the ball very hard and very fast!!! 220km/h to grasp his service game
17:06 : Ferrero answers back with a solid game!!
17:04 : A strong first game by Philippoussis with his particular scud like serve!!!
17:02 : The match is underway!! Philippoussis is serving first
16:55 : This is the fourth match up between the pair and Ferrero leads the series 2-1 and after his performance in clay this year his is the favourite but one can never tell how Philippoussis is going to play!
16:53 : A very challenging match awaits Ferrero against an unpredictable Philippoussis!!! Both players have entered the court and their will begin to warm up in a few moments.
