ARTICLE Corretja sends Ferrero crashing out in Monte Carlo
MONACO (AFP) - Two-time defending champion and second seed Juan Carlos Ferrero crashed out of the Monte Carlo Masters losing 6-2, 6-3 in the first round to Spanish countryman and wildcard Alex Corretja.
French Open champion Ferrero, who was the highest seeded player left in the tournament after the withdrawal of Andy Roddick, is now without a title since the Madrid Masters last October.
The defeat came less than a week after he had lost his grip on another title he possessed when he was a semi-final loser in Valencia.
His meek 68-minute defeat to the 30-year-old Corretja was only his second loss to his countryman in six meetings and such was the manner of his one-sided capitulation that there will be serious doubts over his ability to hang on to his Roland Garros crown next month.
Ferrero lost his serve twice in the opening set which he surrendered in just 34 minutes with Corretja, twice a French Open runner-up, enjoying an error-free set while his countryman hit 15.
The second seed committed 13 more unforced errors in the second set as he lost serve again in the sixth game and then surrendered the match when Corretja hit an ace.
It was only Corretja's fifth win in 2004 but it was he said his sweetest.
"I haven't had a good year at all but to come here and beat Juan-Carlos is great for me," he said.
"However normally when you beat Juan-Carlos it means you are a long way into the tournament but this time it only means I have passed the first round.. there is much work to be done," he added.
[...]
MONACO (AFP) - Two-time defending champion and second seed Juan Carlos Ferrero crashed out of the Monte Carlo Masters losing 6-2, 6-3 in the first round to Spanish countryman and wildcard Alex Corretja.
French Open champion Ferrero, who was the highest seeded player left in the tournament after the withdrawal of Andy Roddick, is now without a title since the Madrid Masters last October.
The defeat came less than a week after he had lost his grip on another title he possessed when he was a semi-final loser in Valencia.
His meek 68-minute defeat to the 30-year-old Corretja was only his second loss to his countryman in six meetings and such was the manner of his one-sided capitulation that there will be serious doubts over his ability to hang on to his Roland Garros crown next month.
Ferrero lost his serve twice in the opening set which he surrendered in just 34 minutes with Corretja, twice a French Open runner-up, enjoying an error-free set while his countryman hit 15.
The second seed committed 13 more unforced errors in the second set as he lost serve again in the sixth game and then surrendered the match when Corretja hit an ace.
It was only Corretja's fifth win in 2004 but it was he said his sweetest.
"I haven't had a good year at all but to come here and beat Juan-Carlos is great for me," he said.
"However normally when you beat Juan-Carlos it means you are a long way into the tournament but this time it only means I have passed the first round.. there is much work to be done," he added.
[...]
