Wow!! Predicted that JC would win in 4 and look he did!!! Not only is he in the finals but he's also the new world #1!! Congrats and best of luck in the final.
------------------------------------
Ferrero Flattens Agassi, Advances to Final for First Time
Juan Carlos Ferrero finally played his first match of the tournament on Arthur Ashe Stadium, and he never looked more at home.
The No. 3 seed from Onteniente, Spain took on No. 1 Andre Agassi, who practically camps out here every year, having reached nine US Open semifinals and five finals, twice winning the championship. Ferrero, obviously not cowed by the occasion, the place or the opponent, stunned Agassi and a partisan crowd, 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, seizing the No. 1 world ranking with the win.
The semifinal was a clash between the two remaining players in the men's draw who have previously won Grand Slams.
Ferrero, this year's French Open champion, is considered the pre-eminent claycourter in the men's game, but he grew up in Spain playing on hard courts and has been determined to prove that he is no dirtball specialist. With his victory over the man who has more accumulated hard-court titles than any man in history, he did that.
"Finally, I think I'm doing what I want," Ferrero said. "I think right now it's my time."
Ferrero looked fresh and came out blasting, serving notice that he belonged on this stage. He broke Agassi in the opening game and raced to a two-sets-to-love lead. Anyone expecting the loopy groundstrokes of a claycourter may have been shocked at Ferrero's rifled forehands and pinpoint, two-fisted backhands. Ferrero nailed 51 winners, against just 32 unforced errors.
The Spaniard's penetrating backcourt play off both wings kept Agassi off balance, and Ferrero employed his vastly improved serve to get himself out of trouble spots. Agassi, meanwhile, was unable to dictate play and had difficulty winning free points with his erratic serve. He connected with only 51 percent of his first serves in the match. Agassi said, "He was just taking care of business better than I was."
Ferrero was playing his third match in three days, having survived a tough, rain-delayed five-setter against Todd Martin in the round of 16 and a four-set win over Lleyton Hewitt in the quarters. Agassi, who had a rest day on Thursday, had played five fewer sets and spent nearly three and half less hours on court than his opponent. Yet at 23-years-old, Ferrero is a decade younger than Agassi, the oldest man in the draw.
Ferrero served for the first set at 5-2. But Agassi broke and riddled off nine straight points. At 5-4, Ferrero survived two break points and slammed a floater to take the first set and derail the Agassi comeback.
Ferrero again broke Agassi to start the second. The players traded breaks of serve and at 3-5, Agassi was under siege, serving to stay in the second set. In a game that went to eight deuces, Ferrero finally ripped a forehand return down the line to gain his fourth set point. Agassi double-faulted to put himself in a deep hole, down two sets to love.
In the third set, Agassi began to find his rhythm and win some easy points on serve. At one-all, Agassi hit a soft lob over Ferrero's head that landed inches from the baseline; Ferrero ran it down at full speed and spectacularly slammed the ball back between his legs. Agassi angled a volley short in the court and Ferrero, on the dead run, stroked a crosscourt forehand winner. It was one of the points of the tournament, and Ferrero took his first round of bows.
In a critical game at 3-3, Ferrero earned two break points to move close to a straight-sets victory, but Agassi, suddenly looking more confident, closed the door. He then cracked a winner on Ferrero's serve to grab his first lead, at 5-3, after nearly two hours of play. Ferrero began to make a spate of errors and, for the first time, appeared to doubt himself. Agassi took the third set, 6-3, inspiring roars from the afternoon crowd.
At 4-4 in the fourth, with Agassi two games from squeezing out a fifth set and Ferrero just two games from triumph, the Spaniard hit two sparkling service returns to go up love-30. Agassi then sailed a forehand 10 feet over the baseline, and Ferrero broke him at love to serve for the match.
Ferrero immediately got down to three break points on his service game, but he got back to deuce and smacked a huge forehand off a deep floater to earn his first match point. Agassi knocked a forehand wide, and Ferrero dropped to his knees. As he basked in the glory of his upset over Agassi, Ferrero pointed up at the blue sky, a tribute to his mother, whom he lost to cancer as a child.
Since his junior days, Ferrero has gone by the nickname "El Mosquito," a reference to his slight build and ability to zip almost unseen around the court. His beefed-up groundstrokes and serve, and heavyweight sense of duty in big matches, suggest that it may be time come up with a new sobriquet.
------------------------------------
Ferrero Flattens Agassi, Advances to Final for First Time
Juan Carlos Ferrero finally played his first match of the tournament on Arthur Ashe Stadium, and he never looked more at home.
The No. 3 seed from Onteniente, Spain took on No. 1 Andre Agassi, who practically camps out here every year, having reached nine US Open semifinals and five finals, twice winning the championship. Ferrero, obviously not cowed by the occasion, the place or the opponent, stunned Agassi and a partisan crowd, 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, seizing the No. 1 world ranking with the win.
The semifinal was a clash between the two remaining players in the men's draw who have previously won Grand Slams.
Ferrero, this year's French Open champion, is considered the pre-eminent claycourter in the men's game, but he grew up in Spain playing on hard courts and has been determined to prove that he is no dirtball specialist. With his victory over the man who has more accumulated hard-court titles than any man in history, he did that.
"Finally, I think I'm doing what I want," Ferrero said. "I think right now it's my time."
Ferrero looked fresh and came out blasting, serving notice that he belonged on this stage. He broke Agassi in the opening game and raced to a two-sets-to-love lead. Anyone expecting the loopy groundstrokes of a claycourter may have been shocked at Ferrero's rifled forehands and pinpoint, two-fisted backhands. Ferrero nailed 51 winners, against just 32 unforced errors.
The Spaniard's penetrating backcourt play off both wings kept Agassi off balance, and Ferrero employed his vastly improved serve to get himself out of trouble spots. Agassi, meanwhile, was unable to dictate play and had difficulty winning free points with his erratic serve. He connected with only 51 percent of his first serves in the match. Agassi said, "He was just taking care of business better than I was."
Ferrero was playing his third match in three days, having survived a tough, rain-delayed five-setter against Todd Martin in the round of 16 and a four-set win over Lleyton Hewitt in the quarters. Agassi, who had a rest day on Thursday, had played five fewer sets and spent nearly three and half less hours on court than his opponent. Yet at 23-years-old, Ferrero is a decade younger than Agassi, the oldest man in the draw.
Ferrero served for the first set at 5-2. But Agassi broke and riddled off nine straight points. At 5-4, Ferrero survived two break points and slammed a floater to take the first set and derail the Agassi comeback.
Ferrero again broke Agassi to start the second. The players traded breaks of serve and at 3-5, Agassi was under siege, serving to stay in the second set. In a game that went to eight deuces, Ferrero finally ripped a forehand return down the line to gain his fourth set point. Agassi double-faulted to put himself in a deep hole, down two sets to love.
In the third set, Agassi began to find his rhythm and win some easy points on serve. At one-all, Agassi hit a soft lob over Ferrero's head that landed inches from the baseline; Ferrero ran it down at full speed and spectacularly slammed the ball back between his legs. Agassi angled a volley short in the court and Ferrero, on the dead run, stroked a crosscourt forehand winner. It was one of the points of the tournament, and Ferrero took his first round of bows.
In a critical game at 3-3, Ferrero earned two break points to move close to a straight-sets victory, but Agassi, suddenly looking more confident, closed the door. He then cracked a winner on Ferrero's serve to grab his first lead, at 5-3, after nearly two hours of play. Ferrero began to make a spate of errors and, for the first time, appeared to doubt himself. Agassi took the third set, 6-3, inspiring roars from the afternoon crowd.
At 4-4 in the fourth, with Agassi two games from squeezing out a fifth set and Ferrero just two games from triumph, the Spaniard hit two sparkling service returns to go up love-30. Agassi then sailed a forehand 10 feet over the baseline, and Ferrero broke him at love to serve for the match.
Ferrero immediately got down to three break points on his service game, but he got back to deuce and smacked a huge forehand off a deep floater to earn his first match point. Agassi knocked a forehand wide, and Ferrero dropped to his knees. As he basked in the glory of his upset over Agassi, Ferrero pointed up at the blue sky, a tribute to his mother, whom he lost to cancer as a child.
Since his junior days, Ferrero has gone by the nickname "El Mosquito," a reference to his slight build and ability to zip almost unseen around the court. His beefed-up groundstrokes and serve, and heavyweight sense of duty in big matches, suggest that it may be time come up with a new sobriquet.
