TOURNAMENT TALES

->> – IN MARSEILLE…JUAN CARLOS FERRERO visited some of the most picturesque spots in Marseille during the Open 13. Ferrero went to visit the port of the Vallon des Auffes as well as the giant poster of French soccer star Zinedine Zidane on the Corniche. The Spaniard also attended an interview and photo shoot with La Provence newspaper, the biggest daily in Marseille, which made the front page.

Pictures coming soon... I hope ^^

[EDIT] pic: JC and poster of Zinedine Zidane credit: ATP [/EDIT]



PHOTOS More pictures from JC's match in Marseille. Thanks Queenie. There are more but for some reason the links don't work so I just sent the pics to Lily ^^

pic: hugging racquet
pic: more hugging
pic: backhand

Posted by nana at 5:11 AM

AUDIO CLIP A short clip taken after JC's loss in Marseille.

>> in Spanish

ARTICLE Worn-Out Ferrero Bows Out in Marseille First Round


MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) - Tired top seed Juan Carlos Ferrero was knocked out in the first round of the Marseille Open on Wednesday, losing 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, to Frenchman Gregory Carraz.

"Motivation was not lacking, strength was," said world number two Ferrero, who was beaten in two hours and 13 minutes.

"I did not play my best tennis because I was not 1OO percent physically," the Spaniard added.

Ferrero had replaced world number one Roger Federer as top seed after the Australian Open champion pulled out before the start of the tournament complaining of general weariness.

[...]

Ferrero, a semi-finalist in Melbourne and losing finalist to Lleyton Hewitt in Rotterdam, also said fatigue had got the better of him.

"My legs were heavy. I could not move or hit the ball right. Against a good serve-and-volley player, there is not a lot you can do," the French Open champion said.

The match between Ferrero and one of the most improved French players of the season was very tight at first, the first two sets ending in a tie-break.

Carraz earned the first real break of the match in the third set and it proved decisive as the Frenchman, who struck 27 aces, maintained a solid serve.

"That's the best win in my career for it's the first time I beat a top 10 guy," Carraz said.

The two have met once previously, in Bangkok last year, when Carraz made Ferrero work hard for his victory, as he came within two points of winning the match.

Ferrero said he would now try to get some rest before going to Indian Wells, Miami, Mallorca, Valencia and Monte Carlo.

"I only have two weeks to recuperate. It won't be a real break," he said.

Posted by nana at 6:35 AM

ORDER OF PLAY February 25 - Wednesday

Center Court - Starting at 11H

1. SANGUINETTI (ITA) VS Marc ROSSET (SUI)
2. Cyril SAULNIER (FRA) VS Julian KNOWLE (AUT)
3. FERRERO (ESP) VS CARRAZ (FRA)

Posted by nana at 12:07 PM

ARTICLE Marseille Open Boasts Several Top Players

Juan Carlos Ferrero and Guillermo Coria, the world numbers two and four, join Marat Safin in the Marseille field for the 11th edition of the men's indoor event, with 35 Champions Race points at stake for the winner and a prize pool of 593,750 euros.

Thomas Enqvist and Fabrice Santoro, both former champions return to Marseille, with Marc Rosset of Switzerland - the winner in 1993-94 hoping to battle through the qualifying for a main draw berth.

Former world number one Ferrero is the tournaments top seed, who plays on the back of reaching the Rotterdam final, where tired against Lleyton Hewitt.

The Spaniard meets Gregory Carraz of France in round one.

Organisers gave number two seed, Coria, a wild card, and will make his debut in the first round against Russian Nikolay Davydenko.

Three-time winner Enqvist was given a special exemption into the main draw following his semi-final performance in Memphis last week.

Paradorn Srichaphan and Max Minryi join 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisveic, who continues his comeback after eight months off the tour, in the draw.

>> Marseille Open official site

Posted by nana at 12:37 AM

DRAW JC is seeded #1 in Marseille after Federer withdrew from the tournament. Some players to watch out for in JC's half are Nieminen, Srichaphan, Escude and Enquist. A tough draw especially since all the qualifiers are in the other half but at least so are Safin and Miryni. =)

Hopefully JC won't have to play until Wednesday so that he can have a nice rest and start fresh.

>> tournament draw

AUDIO CLIPS Last two clips from Rotterdam

>> after defeating Miryni
>> after the final

QUOTES Ferrero: “One set too many”

The 31st ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament lasted a little too long for Juan Carlos Ferrero. The Spaniard, who will rank second in the world as of tomorrow morning, had the better opportunities during the second set. He had two breakpoints during the seventh game, but failed to use them.

“Lleyton fought like a lion, and appeared to be incredibly fit. He seemed to be wherever I played the ball. Admittedly, he has played fewer sets this tournament. I had two opportunities, but missed one by hitting a stray forehand and the other by hitting the ball in the net.”

Ferrero was disappointed, but not dejected: “I have played several great matches here, and was nearly knocked out of the tournament. Maybe it was simply one set too many.” “Lleyton Hewitt is playing well. He previously ranked first in the world, and he’s on his way back. I feel fully-recovered, and intend to play in Marseille next week, so that I can gain additional indoor experience.’’

Posted by nana at 5:22 AM

PHOTOS Final vs. Hewitt



pic: backhand
pic: return
pic: celebrating a point
pic: awards ceremony
-- with watermark --
pic: with Hewitt
pic: eyeing the ball
pic: serve
pic: ball toss
pic: forehand
pic: another forehand
pic: backhand

Posted by nana at 4:54 AM

SPEECH An excerpt from Hewitt's victory speech where he says some nice things about JC.

“First and foremost I’d like to thank Juan Carlos. He has played excellent tennis all week, and had to fight his way through several tough matches. To top it all, he played another fantastic match today. It was a tough contest, and he refused to budge an inch. Thank you, Juan Carlos!”


MATCH REPORT Lleyton Hewitt wins final

Lleyton Hewitt has won the 31st ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. The Australian, who was seeded sixth, beat Juan Carlos Ferrero (2) during an exciting final that lasted 2 hours and 39 minutes, and saw plenty of excellent tennis (6-7 (1), 7-5, 6-4).

Hewitt won the toss and elected to receive. A smart decision bearing in mind that Ferrero is known to be slow out of the starting block. Hewitt immediately forced a breakpoint, and pocketed the opening game. Ferrero started the second game well, but was unable to make the most of two breakpoints, giving his opponent a 2-0 lead. The Spaniard broke back two games later, following a miss-hit by Hewitt. With the score at 2-2, Ferrero survived three further breakpoints, taking a 3-2 lead.

Although both players slowly got into the match as the set progressed, Ferrero again proved why he is the king of the tiebreak here in Rotterdam, taking the first set 7-6 (1).

Winning the first set boosted the Spaniard’s confidence, and he experienced very few difficulties during the second set. Hewitt survived two breakpoints in the seventh game, (which went to deuce no less than six times), taking a 4-3 lead. The Australian placed himself in the driving seat, came close to forcing a break in the tenth game, but had to wait until the twelfth to take the second set (7-5).

In spite of making an excellent start, Ferrero soon felt the after-effects of his previous three-setters against Van Lottum, Sluiter and Mirnyi. Lleyton Hewitt simply appeared fitter and stronger. The Spaniard survived a breakpoint in the second game, managed to win the fourth (which went to deuce twice), but finally lost his service in the tenth. Hewitt used his second matchpoint to win the title, playing a powerful forehand that forced Ferrero into a mistake. Having won the tournament during his debut year, the delighted winner threw himself to the ground. Mission accomplished.


ARTICLE Hewitt Beats Ferrero to Win ABN Amro

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands - Sixth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt beat second-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-7 (1), 7-5, 6-4 Sunday in the ABN Amro tournament to win his 21st career title.

Hewitt overcame early problems with his serve to improve his record against the French Open champion to 5-3. The Australian dropped his first set of the tournament but rallied to win his second title this year.


Ferrero, the world No. 2 from Spain, might have been strained from his long route to the final, which included three-set matches Friday and Saturday.


Hewitt made just 50 percent of his first serves in the first set to Ferrero's 82 percent.


In the second set, Hewitt survived two break points in a seventh game that went to deuce seven times. At one point, Ferrero folded his arms and told the chair umpire, "I don't want to play like this," after one of his serves was called out.


He began losing more rallies in the third set before Hewitt finally broke him for the win.

Posted by nana at 4:50 AM

MATCH PREVIEW Hewitt-Ferrero: Krajicek’s dream comes true

Things are going Richard Krajicek’s way this week. A showdown between Juan Carlos Ferrero (2) and Lleyton Hewitt (6) featured high on his wish list, so he’s likely to be tickled pink.

Hewitt and Ferrero are well matched. The Spaniard (1.82 m) has won eleven titles during his career. His opponent, Leyton Hewitt (1.80 m) has won twenty. The Australian has also won more prize-money: USD 11,845,647 compared to Ferrero’s USD 9,232.337.

Hewitt and Ferrero have played each other seven times, and the Australian leads 4-3 in the head-to-head. He also won their last encounter in December 2003 (the final of the Davis Cup, which was played on grass). Hewitt needed five sets. Ferrero disposed of the Australian at the US Open four months earlier (in four sets).

If you’re attending the final: five of their seven matches have gone to three (or more) sets.

Posted by nana at 9:52 AM

MATCH REPORT Ferrero dethrones Mirnyi

For the third time this tournament, Juan Carlos Ferrero won a match by clinching the tiebreak at the end of a hard-fought three-setter. The Spaniard beat defending champion Max Mirnyi 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-6 (4). "The way these matches are going, this is fast becoming the toughest tournament of the season for me," Ferrero said after the match. "I would love to win the final, and would greatly welcome an easy match."

The Byelorussian was off to a good start, and comfortably held his service. His Spanish opponent found the going much tougher, and just managed to survive three breakpoints in the eighth game. The set went to a tiebreak, which the Byelorussian won 7-2.

Ferrero again proved his resilience and managed to take the second 6-3. Serving for the match at 5-4 in the third, Ferrero found himself at the receiving end of what was arguably the best return of the tournament. Few people were surprised when Ferrero subsequently forced the match into another tiebreak. The Spaniard immediately broke Mirnyi’s service, and used his first matchpoint to secure a place in the final (7-4).

Ferrero: "I have played three very tough matches, and was really pleased to win. I have never played three consecutive matches that were decided by means of a tiebreak at the end of the third set. I had taken a couple of weeks off before the tournament, and I am happy about the way I’m playing at the moment. My muscles aren’t too painful. The only problem with playing long evening matches is that you get to bed in the early hours of the morning. They may have been hard-earned victories, but they have done wonders for my self-confidence. When the chips were down, I have managed to produce my best tennis. That may well be the result of my victory at Roland Garros, but you can never really be certain. Every moment is different, but it makes me more experienced."

Ferrero played his last indoor tournament in early November. As a result, he is delighted to have made it to the final: "I am not an indoor specialist, and Hewitt is a tough opponent on any surface. He’s a fighter, but we have played some fantastic matches against each other."

Mirnyi was gracious in defeat: "The third set went with service until I unexpectedly lost my service game. Although I was able to fight my way back into the match, Ferrero suddenly started to serve aces during the tiebreak. I was unable to produce better tennis than I did. I hope to play as well in Marseille as I did here. With a bit of luck I’ll be back next year, but you never know. I’ll certainly take a photograph of the boarding before I leave. Seeing my name among those of former champions is not something I want to forget."

Posted by nana at 9:35 AM

PHOTOS Semifinal - JC def. Miryni 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-6 (4)

pic: on knees (after being hit in the head by a ball)
pic: yessss!!
pic: return
pic: smile
-- with watermarks --
pic: follow through
pic: scratch brow
pic: backhand
pic: stretching for a return


ORDER OF PLAY
Sunday 22 february 2004

Centre Court
Matches start at 2:00 PM:
Lleyton HEWITT (AUS) - Juan Carlos FERRERO (ESP)

Posted by nana at 7:10 AM

MATCH REPORT Ferrero too tough for Sluiter

He was sick as a dog. Sick as a cat even. Could Raemon Sluiter have felt any worse after last night’s match against Juan Carlos Ferrero? Probably not. Following a deliriously exciting quarter-final match, he was beaten to the post by the Spaniard, who ranks third in the world. Having struggled with the Dutchman throughout the match, Ferrero won 12-10 in de tiebreak of the third and final set. An excellent result for Ferrero, but a misery for the Dutchman. "There is nothing I can do about it now," Sluiter said after the match. And he was right. He’d had the opportunity to win, but failed to step up to the plate.

Sluiter had two matchpoints in the tiebreak at the end of the third set. Seated on the edge of their seats, the spectators did everything to spur him on. Although he survived six matchpoints, and fought to the bitter end, Sluiter was unable to ward off his Spanish opponent. And so Sluiter suffered the same fate as John van Lottum had a day earlier: a titanic struggle, but no cigar. "I gave it all I had", Sluiter commented afterwards, catching his breath. "I know it sounds strange, because I would have given almost anything to win here today, but matches like this make it all worthwhile. I have worked hard for twenty years to reach this level, and all I can do now is retain my current form as long as I possibly can."

Sluiter caught his opponent off-guard during the early stages of the match, and soon pocketed the first set (6-1). However, the match turned during the second set: "He served down the middle to start with, but switched to serving the ball wide. And that’s exactly what he’s good at. He sees that something is not working, and adjusts his game accordingly." The man from Rotterdam couldn’t have been more accurate. The service of both men proved decisive. Although Ferrero’s service became stronger and more varied as the match progressed, Sluiter’s got weaker. "He also played better rallies, and I increasingly felt that he was the stronger player." Sluiter, who ranked 62nd in the world going into the tournament, felt a little embittered after the match. A feeling that will probably gain in strength over the next few days. After all, he made it to the final of last year’s tournament, and his quarter-final defeat will cause his ranking to deteriorate.

Ferrero hopes to catch up with world No 1 Roger Federer, who was beaten by Tim Henman yesterday. His victory over Sluiter will also boost his confidence going into the Davis Cup match against the Netherlands in April. He’s beaten three Dutchmen on their home turf, and will have fallen asleep with a smile on his face last night.

Posted by nana at 4:47 AM

AUDIO CLIP After defeating Sluiter in the quarterfinals. No mention of an injury during that first set. Seems like he just started badly so instead of trying to salvage that set he just let it slide and put everything into the second and third sets ^^

>> audio (English)

Q: Dutchman in three sets...

JC: Ya ya of course it was a very tough match today also because he was playing so good at the beginning and I was a like unhappy in the beginning you know because I did a lot of mistakes. After in the second set and the third I was playing good and he was playing a great match so I think it was perfect for the crowd and I think they enjoyed the match. And also in the third set with 6-3 in the tie-breaker I had the options to win and finally I feel a little nervous and he also. I think because in the tiebreak you want to win and he had a matchpoint and so it was very diffcult to win.

Q: Do you think it's your experience that make you win the difficult points?

JC: I don't know because with 6-3 if I have more experience then him because maybe I had to win. You know anyway when you're this close anyone you can win the match

Q: So three Dutch guys behind you and tomorrow you have Miryni.

JC: Ya it's a completely different game because he goes to the net all the time, first serve second and also with the return. We'll see it's going to be the first time to play against him and normally I like to play against these kinds of guys so we'll see tomorrow.

Posted by nana at 12:16 PM

PHOTOS Quarterfinal



pic: battle cry
pic: eyeing the ball
pic: stretch
pic: backhand
pic: pumped
-- with watermarks --
pic: forehand
pic: another forehand
pic: return
pic: rub face
---

Whew... talk about a heart-stopping match! JC had several match points towards the end but just couldn't capitalize on them. He had to save at least one match point as well! Wondering what happen in that first set... someone mentioned that he had blisters on his feet that were hindering him. =( Oh well, best of luck tomorrow JC ^^

Posted by nana at 8:49 AM

MATCH PREDICTIONS

Raemon Sluiter (Netherlands) - Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain, 2)
Centre court – second evening match

Sluiter and Ferrero also met in the quarter-finals of last year’s tournament, when Ferrero retired with an injury. As Ferrero will realise, Sluiter’s ranking is an irrelevance when he’s playing in the Netherlands. Sluiter to win in three sets.
Head-to-head: Sluiter 2-0.


MATCH REPORT Van Lottum almost causes major upset

John van Lottum came extremely close to a place in the quarter-finals last night. Following a gruelling match that lasted a little under three hours, number two seed Juan Carlos Ferrero just managed to beat the Dutchman to the post: 7-5, 5-7, 7-6.

Although Ferrero won the opening set, Van Lottum clearly showed that he was able to keep pace with the Spaniard. He launched a determined offensive in the second set, and fought as if his life depended on it. With success. The third set was nothing short of a thrilling showdown. Although the Dutchman had three breakpoints at 5-5, Ferrero kept his cool and retained the game. A tiebreak was needed to separate the players. Having forced an early break, Ferrero gained the advantage. But still Van Lottum refused to yield. At 6-5, the Spaniard was offered his first matchpoint, which he used to secure a hard-earned place in the quarter-finals.

"I am very pleased that I won. John played exceptionally well, and received fantastic support from the audience. I next play Raemon Sluiter. Another Dutchman, but above all another difficult opponent," said Ferrero.

Posted by nana at 11:39 PM

PHOTOS Round 2

pic: bad racquet

Posted by nana at 9:19 AM

RESULTS JC def. van Lottum 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (5) to advance to the quarterfinals (where he'll play another Dutchman, Sluiter). Whew... a really close match. JC had so many chances to break in the second set but perhaps suffered a lapse in concentration and had to take it in 3. Will have to wait for the match report and interview to find out what happened there.

ORDER OF PLAY Friday 20 February

Centre Court

Matches start at 11.00 AM
Jarkko NIEMINEN (FIN) - Max MIRNYI (BLR)
Rainer SCHUETTLER (GER) - Lleyton HEWITT (AUS)
After a suitable rest
Lleyton HEWITT/Roger RASHEED (AUS) - Martin DAMM/Cyril SUK (CZE)

Matches start at 7.30 PM:
Roger FEDERER (SUI) - Tim HENMAN (GBR)
Raemon SLUITER (NED) - Juan Carlos FERRERO (ESP)

Posted by nana at 9:17 AM

MATCH PREVIEW

John van Lottum (Netherlands) - Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain, 2)


If Van Lottum gets going, he can make life difficult for anybody. But against the winner of Roland Garros, he’ll have to pull out all the stops. Ferrero is not only quick on gravel, he also made it to the final of the US Open and the semi-final of the Australian Open. And to top it all, he is the former world No 1. Ferrero to win in straight sets.
Head-to-head: none.

ARTICLE Van Scheppingen has every reason to be pleased

Six years ago, Dennis van Scheppingen played the immaculately-dressed man who was today seated in the stands: Tournament Director Richard Krajicek. But as was the case in 1998, yesterday’s opponent proved too strong for Van Scheppingen. Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero beat the Dutchman 6-3, 7-6 in a packed Ahoy’ sports centre. Van Scheppingen may have lost, but he has every reason to be pleased.

Although Ferrero appeared to head for an easy win – needing only fourteen minutes to establish a 5-0 lead in the first set – the Dutchman made life difficult for him in the second set. Van Scheppingen: "Even though I was slightly nervous, it was not the main reason for my poor start. I was simply too keen, which affected the quality of my service games." Van Scheppingen, who ranks 98th in the world, was able to keep pace with his opponent during the second set: "I decided to focus on my game and shut everything else out, which worked quite well." The Spaniard, who currently ranks third in the world, needed a tiebreak to take the match. "He played well during the second set. He produced solid, flat groundstrokes, and offered a lot of opposition," Ferrero said afterwards. "I’ve played Dennis before, during a competition match in Germany".

Since then, both players have led a different life. While Ferrero made his way to the top, Van Scheppingen’s ranking took a nosedive.

[...]

Ferrero, who is due to play in the Davis Cup match against the Netherlands in April, is playing in the bottom quarter of the draw, which only includes Dutchmen: Raemon Sluiter, Sjeng Schalken and John van Lottum, his next opponent. Says Ferrero, with a grin on his face: "The tournament allows me to warm up for the Davis Cup match."

Posted by nana at 5:54 AM

QUOTES

Ferrero: “It was a good start. I began by hitting the ball very well and hitting winners. At the same time, I could sense he started very nervously and was committing many mistakes at the beginning of the match.”

“We played a very good second set. We both found a lot of rhythm and exchanged some good points. It made for some great tennis to watch and I think the spectators were enjoying the tennis.” [oOh... so that's what he was saying in the audio clip...]

“I am happy with the way I played. It was the first match I have played since my injury following the Australian Open. The conditions were very different. In Australia, you are playing outdoors, under the heat of the sun.”

“I am not carrying any injuries now. I am feeling good and I am playing well. I come to every tournament looking to win.”


AUDIO CLIPS Short clips from JC's post match interview. Tried to transcribe it but some parts were quite mumbled... most sorry ^^;

>> audio (English)
>> audio (Spanish)

Q: At the begining of the match a 4-love, 5-1 lead. A good start?

JC: Ya of course it was a good start, because I started very good you know hitting the ball a very good doing a lot of winners you know all the time and I think also he was a little nervous he did some mistakes at the beginning of the match but anyway I start very strong all the time and it was a good start I think.

Q: Then he came back slightly at the end of the set. Did you start to relax a little bit?

JC: No, you know I think was you know it was only one break. 5-1, 5-2 and 5-3 it was just one break and finally I could win

Q: Second set much tighter?

JC: Ya, I think we played a very good second set. We played with a lot of rhythm and some good serves and some good points and I think because [sorry can't distinguish what he said]

Q: At the end of the second set what was the decisive factor?

JC: I don't know. I think I had some great points. It was much easier and finally I could play a great tiebreak [...] have to play very concentrate all the time and I did very good at the end of the set.

Posted by nana at 6:50 PM

MATCH REPORT Ferrero Makes Solid Start

Although Juan Carlos Ferrero lived up to expectations by beating Dennis van Scheppingen, the Dutchman made life extremely difficult for the Spaniard: 6-3, 7-6 (5).

Ferrero was off to a flying start in front of the capacity crowd. He quickly built up a 5-0 lead, which allowed him to take the first set. In contrast, the second set went with service. In the end, Ferrero’s iron nerves prevailed during the tiebreak.
“It was a shame that I had such a poor start” Van Scheppingen said afterwards. “Very few of my first serves landed inside the lines, and I made far too many mistakes. The second set was very different, and I managed to keep pace with Ferrero”. Van Scheppingen is due to play the qualifiers in Marseille next Saturday.

It was Ferrero’s first ATP match following a short break. The winner of Roland Garros sustained a hamstring injury during the Australian Open. “I am very grateful that I was allowed to start on Wednesday. Although my next opponent, John van Lottum, is another Dutchman, I really don’t mind. My aim is to win the tournament.”


PHOTOS Round 1: 6-3, 7-6 (5)



pic: JC "training" in Rotterdam *lol*
pic: reaching for a backhand
-- with watermarks --
pic: pumped
pic: ball toss
pic: backhand
pic: forehand

Posted by nana at 6:49 AM

MATCH PREVIEW
Dennis van Scheppingen (Netherlands) – Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain, 2)

Van Scheppingen believes he’s in with an outside chance against Ferrero because of his flat, direct stokes. However, the disparity between the Spaniard (third in the world) and the Dutchman (a qualifier) is simply too great. Ferrero, who is making his first court appearance since suffering a muscle injury, will win in straight sets.
Head-to-head: none


INTERVIEW My dream came true at Roland Garros


Whenever people hear the name Juan Carlos Ferrero, they immediately conjure up images of last year’s Roland Garros final, during which the 24-year-old Spaniard beat Dutchman Martin Verkerk. The world number three is due to play Dennis van Scheppingen later today. And with the Davis Cup match between the Netherlands and Spain planned for April (in Spain), Van Scheppingen won’t be The Mosquito’s last Dutch opponent this season.

You suffered a hamstring injury, which required you to take some rest. Are you completely fit again?

"I feel absolutely fine. I’ve had enough time to recover since my semi-final match in Melbourne. I didn’t doubt that I would be able to play here in Rotterdam, and my two-week break allowed me to recover completely."

Was your injury the result of excessive strain?

"I think so. It was a very long season. First there was the hard court season in the US, followed by the US Open, the indoor season in Europe, the Masters Cup in Houston and the Davis Cup final in Australia, last December. I barely had time to recover before the new season started. I played a few tournaments in the run-up to the Australian Open, and I think that’s what broke me up in Melbourne."

Are you going to take more breaks this year?

"I hope so. It really depends on how well I perform. If I play well, I’ll be able to take a break more often. If not, I’ll have to play as much as I can to retain my current ranking."

The Davis Cup match between Spain and the Netherlands is scheduled for April. Perhaps that’s a good time to take a week off?

"Sure! No, I intend to take some time off before or after the Davis Cup match."

Do you see the forthcoming Davis Cup match as an opportunity to take revenge? After all, you lost in 2001.

"I wouldn’t refer to it as taking revenge. The circumstances will be completely different than they were three years ago. We’re not only playing in Spain, we’re also playing outdoors, and on gravel. We’ll be very keen to win, but not necessarily because we’re playing against the Netherlands. Our objective is to win the Davis Cup, and in order to do so we’ll have to beat the Dutch."

Talking about Dutchmen, you played Martin Verkerk in the final of Roland Garros. Were you surprised that he made it to the final?

"I had already played him a year earlier in Kitzbühel. I knew he was agile on a gravel surface, and kept a close eye on him in Paris. I watched his matches and realised that he was playing extremely well."

What did it feel like to win your first Grand Slam title?

"I had the fortune of producing my best tennis during the tournament I wanted to win most. Although my dream came true at Roland Garros, I had to remind myself not to dwell on my victory."

Many players experience a slight dip after winning a Grand Slam final. However, you played in the final of the US Open and made it to the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

"Lots of things happened immediately after Roland Garros. Luckily I was able to deal with it all. I managed to focus on my game, so my life hasn’t changed that much since winning in Paris. Although I realised my dream, I formulated some new objectives. My current aim is to win as many Grand Slam titles as I can, and become the best player in the world."

Posted by nana at 1:21 AM

Order of Play Wednesday 18 February 2004

Centre court
Matches start at 11 AM
Sargis SARGSIAN (ARM) - Max MIRNYI (BLR)
Rainer SCHUETTLER (GER) - Radek STEPANEK (CZE)

Not before 3.00 PM
Fernando GONZALEZ (CHI) - Lleyton HEWITT (AUS)

Matches start at 7.30 PM
Dennis VAN SCHEPPINGEN (NED) vs Juan Carlos FERRERO (ESP)
Roger FEDERER (SUI) vs Arnaud CLEMENT (FRA)

Posted by nana at 5:07 AM

ON TV The Rotterdam tournament will be broadcast on channel Nederland 2 (NOS). There is no information about broadcasts on different channels but I'm assuming since it's a small tournament that it won't be shown outside of Europe or even the Netherlands =(

>> TV schedule

Posted by nana at 5:50 AM

STATISTICS Amist the Rusedski case and all the anti-doping chatter here are some interesting statistics:

"World No.1 Roger Federer and French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero topped the tennis anti-doping program with 23 tests each, including out-of-competition scans.

US Open champion Andy Roddick, Australian Open winner Andre Agassi and former world No.1 Carlos Moya all completed 21 tests."
--

Wonder why JC was tested so many times?? Oh well, at least it proves he's clean and doesn't need drugs to enhance his game. Good JC *pat head* ^^


UPDATES Antonio Martinez Cascales (JC's coach) and Eduardo Ferrero (JC's father) went to a press conference yesterday to express JC's hopes of holding the next DC tie vs. Holland in Villena, Alicante (his hometown). He will have to convince his teammates which will be difficult since both Moyà and Nadal support holding the tie in their hometown in Mallorca.

>> article (in Spanish)

Posted by nana at 7:19 PM

Feliz Cumpleaños Juan Carlos Wishing you a happy 24th birthday. Aim for the stars and we'll be supporting you all the way. -- JCFO T. Blog Staff 17:58 Feb. 12th

Posted by nana at 11:58 AM

NEW LAYOUT Yes, nana has been neglecting her duties as JCFO T. Blog Moderator *hangs head in shame* [Don't worry haven't run off to the Safin camp just yet Lady ^^] To make up for it and seeing as how AO is over here's my first attempt at making a blog layout. Not as pretty as any of Lily's fabulous creations but hopefully they'll get better with experience =)

If the layout doesn't seem quite right on your screen please send me an email and I'll try to fix it ASAP.

Posted by nana at 11:41 AM

MULTIMEDIA Since JC is injured there hasn't been much news to post, but if you're going through JC withdrawal here's a few things for your viewing pleasure.

The 2004 ATP calendar. JC is featured in May.
>> download calendar

A great Spanish sports multimedia page filled with JC related video and audio clips. Much thanks to Mackenzie for the link ^^
>> videos

Posted by nana at 9:05 AM

VIDEO A short clip of JC's arrival in Spain. The reporter is again talking about how JC will be unable to play in the upcoming DC tie.

Thanks Pim for informing me of this clip ^^

>> video clip
>> screencap

Posted by nana at 6:24 AM

DC UPDATE It's official. The Spanish Tennis Federation has announced that JC WILL NOT play in the DC tie this weekend. He was not able to recover from his adductor injury and thus will be replaced by Martin.

Hopefully he'll be able to rest and recover in time for his next tournament which is in Rotterdam (February 16 - 22)

ARTICLE Ferrero out of Davis Cup

Spain suffered a second injury setback for this weekend's Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic when Juan Carlos Ferrero was forced to withdraw on Monday. Spain lost Carlos Moya last week with an ankle injury and Ferrero followed after undergoing tests on various injuries sustained on his run to the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

"The only solution for the injury to his left leg is rest," team doctor Angel Ruiz Cotorro told reporters.

Alberto Martin will replace Ferrero.

Martin and Feliciano Lopez, who was drafted in as a replacement for Moya, will join Tommy Robredo and 17-year-old Rafael Nadal in a new-look Spanish team for the tie, which will be played from February 6-8 in Brno.

Posted by nana at 12:15 PM

DC NEWS A more indepth article talking about JC's prospects on playing the DC tie against the Czech Republic this Friday. They forgot to mention that Martin (not Costa) has already been chosen to travel with the team as back-up. Also Nadal has a chance of playing the other singles rubber if JC is not fit enough to play.

A big thanks to Queenie for sending the article ^^

SPAIN WAIT ON FERRERO INJURY

Juan Carlos Ferrero's battle for glory at the Australian Open may have far-reaching consequences for his country's bid Davis Cup success.

Ferrero went down in straight sets to Roger Federer in the semi-finals in Melbourne following a brave battle against a groin strain, but that injury could pose a big problem for the Spanish as they prepare for next weekend's first-round tie against the Czech Republic.

"Physically I am not in good shape and it will be hard to recover in such a short time, especially if you take into account the trip home, the jet-lag and the need to prepare for a fast court," said Ferrero.

"It will be hard and I would have to hurry in a lot of things. I don't think the best way to start the year is carrying an injury.

"The best thing would be to rest a while and have confidence in other players, who are not at all bad."

Ferrero's injury does, however, pose a problem as Carlos Moya is already ruled out with a twisted ankle that forced him to miss the Melbourne showpiece.

Feliciano Lopez and Albert Costa are first reserves but Costa may be overlooked following his bitter outburst at being left out of the squad for last year's final against Australia.

Lopez was given the nod for that tie, even though Costa had played in every round leading up to the final.

Posted by nana at 7:17 AM

DC UPDATE Despite his injuries JC may still travel to Brno for the DC tie against the Czech Republic. Already confirmed for the team are Rafael Nadal, Tommy Robredo, Feliciano Lopez (substituting for Moyá), and Beto Martín. Martín will take JC's place in the singles rubber should he not recover in time to play.

JC will be returning to Spain on Sunday.

>> full article (in Spanish)

Posted by nana at 5:15 AM