Costa, Ferrero Rematch Set For Semifinals.
Defending champion Albert Costa is defying the odds and baffling opponents in the process by delivering five-set performances on his way back to Roland Garros semifinals where he'll face Juan Carlos Ferrero.
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Awaiting Costa in the semifinals is Juan Carlos Ferrero, who fell one match shy of his first Grand Slam title at last year's Roland Garros.
Ferrero improved to 26-2 this year on clay with his five-set performance against Gonzalez. The win for Gonzalez also marked a bit revenge for the 23-year-old after Ferrero was defeated by the Chilean in the 1998 Roland Garros Boys' Final.
Ferrero and Gonzalez had never met on clay on the ATP circuit prior to Wednesday's meeting and it was apparant after two sets that it was anyone's match to win. Ferrero cruised through the first set in less than half an hour, but stumbled in the second set and the two were even through two sets.
In the third set, Ferrero used those many 2003 clay court matches under his belt to keep Gonzalez guessing and once again rolled through the set, 6-1. But the 22-year-old from Chile wasn't going down without a fight and was able to grab a break from Ferrero to send the match to a fifth set.
Ferrero continues his stellar play in Paris and now has a 21-3 lifetime mark at the event. He is playing Roland Garros for the fourth time and has never failed to reach the semifinals.
By reaching the semifinals, Ferrero became the fifth player to advance to the semis for four consecutive years, joining Bjorn Borg (1978-81), Mats Wilander (1982-85), Ivan Lendl (1984-87) and Jim Courier (1991-94).
Defending champion Albert Costa is defying the odds and baffling opponents in the process by delivering five-set performances on his way back to Roland Garros semifinals where he'll face Juan Carlos Ferrero.
[...]
Awaiting Costa in the semifinals is Juan Carlos Ferrero, who fell one match shy of his first Grand Slam title at last year's Roland Garros.
Ferrero improved to 26-2 this year on clay with his five-set performance against Gonzalez. The win for Gonzalez also marked a bit revenge for the 23-year-old after Ferrero was defeated by the Chilean in the 1998 Roland Garros Boys' Final.
Ferrero and Gonzalez had never met on clay on the ATP circuit prior to Wednesday's meeting and it was apparant after two sets that it was anyone's match to win. Ferrero cruised through the first set in less than half an hour, but stumbled in the second set and the two were even through two sets.
In the third set, Ferrero used those many 2003 clay court matches under his belt to keep Gonzalez guessing and once again rolled through the set, 6-1. But the 22-year-old from Chile wasn't going down without a fight and was able to grab a break from Ferrero to send the match to a fifth set.
Ferrero continues his stellar play in Paris and now has a 21-3 lifetime mark at the event. He is playing Roland Garros for the fourth time and has never failed to reach the semifinals.
By reaching the semifinals, Ferrero became the fifth player to advance to the semis for four consecutive years, joining Bjorn Borg (1978-81), Mats Wilander (1982-85), Ivan Lendl (1984-87) and Jim Courier (1991-94).
