Spain lead 1-0
French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero draw first blood for Spain in their Davis Cup semi-final tie against Argentina in Malaga on Friday. The Spaniard steamrolled past Gaston Gaudio in style, 6-4 6-0 6-0.
Ferrero, the world number one, took time to find his rhythm on the slow red clay on a specially constructed court at the Jose Maria Martin Carpena stadium but after an evenly balanced first set he crushed Gaudio with withering ease.
Gaudio, chasing everything down and hitting with great accuracy, was the first to hold serve in game three and he broke Ferrero again for a 3-1 lead.
Argentina needed a good start after losing their top two singles players, Guillermo Coria and David Nalbandian to injury, and an upset looked a distinct possibility as Gaudio moved 40-15 up in the next.
Instead, Gaudio found himself on the receiving end of a stunning assault from Ferrero, who reeled off 14 games without reply to clinch victory.
"I kept improving and I didn't put a foot wrong in the second and third sets," said Ferrero. "I played a great match."
Argentina were looking to Mariano Zabaleta to level the tie in the second singles against Carlos Moya and keep them in with a chance of a final against Australia or Switzerland, who were tied at 1-1 after the opening day of their match in Melbourne.
The turning point in the Ferrero-Gaudio match came in game five of the first set, when the Spaniard recovered from 40-15 down to cut Gaudio's lead to 2-3 and then held serve for the first time to level the scores.
The players shared another break of serve but, incredibly, Gaudio's recovery to 4-4 proved to be the last game he would win, as Ferrero assumed command with the sort of form that took him to the U.S. Open final this month.
A poor attempt at a drop-shot gave Ferrero a break point in game nine and he took it with a perfectly placed backhand pass across court.
Ferrero comfortably held serve for the first set in 62 minutes and moved 3-0 ahead in the second by returning a smash from Gaudio with a lob and then clinching the point with a drop-shot.
Gaudio was by now thoroughly demoralised, offering little resistance as Ferrero took the set in 27 minutes and moved 5-0 up in the third.
Serving for the match, Ferrero saved four break points before converting his second match point with a drive volley.
French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero draw first blood for Spain in their Davis Cup semi-final tie against Argentina in Malaga on Friday. The Spaniard steamrolled past Gaston Gaudio in style, 6-4 6-0 6-0.
Ferrero, the world number one, took time to find his rhythm on the slow red clay on a specially constructed court at the Jose Maria Martin Carpena stadium but after an evenly balanced first set he crushed Gaudio with withering ease.
Gaudio, chasing everything down and hitting with great accuracy, was the first to hold serve in game three and he broke Ferrero again for a 3-1 lead.
Argentina needed a good start after losing their top two singles players, Guillermo Coria and David Nalbandian to injury, and an upset looked a distinct possibility as Gaudio moved 40-15 up in the next.
Instead, Gaudio found himself on the receiving end of a stunning assault from Ferrero, who reeled off 14 games without reply to clinch victory.
"I kept improving and I didn't put a foot wrong in the second and third sets," said Ferrero. "I played a great match."
Argentina were looking to Mariano Zabaleta to level the tie in the second singles against Carlos Moya and keep them in with a chance of a final against Australia or Switzerland, who were tied at 1-1 after the opening day of their match in Melbourne.
The turning point in the Ferrero-Gaudio match came in game five of the first set, when the Spaniard recovered from 40-15 down to cut Gaudio's lead to 2-3 and then held serve for the first time to level the scores.
The players shared another break of serve but, incredibly, Gaudio's recovery to 4-4 proved to be the last game he would win, as Ferrero assumed command with the sort of form that took him to the U.S. Open final this month.
A poor attempt at a drop-shot gave Ferrero a break point in game nine and he took it with a perfectly placed backhand pass across court.
Ferrero comfortably held serve for the first set in 62 minutes and moved 3-0 ahead in the second by returning a smash from Gaudio with a lob and then clinching the point with a drop-shot.
Gaudio was by now thoroughly demoralised, offering little resistance as Ferrero took the set in 27 minutes and moved 5-0 up in the third.
Serving for the match, Ferrero saved four break points before converting his second match point with a drive volley.
