ARTICLE Fish Stuns Ferrero in Athens; Safin Out
By HOWARD FENDRICH, AP Tennis Writer
ATHENS, Greece - Mardy Fish was down and out Tuesday, three points from defeat against former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero. And then, with some help, Fish turned things around for the biggest victory of his career, a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 comeback against the fifth-seeded Spaniard to reach the third round of the Olympics.
Ferrero, the French Open champion and U.S. Open runner-up last year, double-faulted twice while serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set. That gave the 22nd-ranked Fish an opening, and he took control.
"In a normal tournament, I would have tried just as hard, but there's definitely something extra there," said Fish, who came to Greece on a three-match losing streak.
"I kept saying to myself: 'This is the Olympics. This is the Olympics. I can't really go out like this, in two straight sets.'"
[...]
Fish can't claim too many big wins over top players yet. His previous career highlight was knocking off 1998 French Open champion Carlos Moya in the Australian Open's second round last year.
"That's something that's holding me back ... beating these guys consistently. The guys in the top 10, they play the other guys in the top 10 very well," said Fish, up next against Max Mirnyi of Belarus. He called his victory over Ferrero "definitely a confidence-booster going into the U.S. Open," which starts Aug. 30.
Ferrero appeared to be in complete control, up a set and a break. But serving for the match at 5-4, he double-faulted twice. When a 15-stroke exchange ended with Ferrero's backhand catching the net tape and dribbling back on his side, Fish was suddenly still in it at 5-5.
"I should have had an easy, 6-4, 6-4 win, and I made it tough on myself," Ferrero said. "I had the wind against me, and the sun in my eyes. I had to toss the ball a bit differently, and that led to the double-faults."
Fish ended the tiebreaker with a crisp backhand volley, then grabbed a 2-1 edge in the last set. He got to break point with a running backhand passing winner, and converted when Ferrero dumped a forehand into the net.
There was one last tough spot for the American.
Serving for the match, he made three errors to hand Ferrero three break points at 15-40. But Fish regrouped to close it out with three aces and a service winner.
He wheeled and smacked a ball underhand out of the stadium, as the opening notes of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" blared over center court's speakers.
"I just tried to stay aggressive," Fish said. "That's the way I play well."
By HOWARD FENDRICH, AP Tennis Writer
ATHENS, Greece - Mardy Fish was down and out Tuesday, three points from defeat against former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero. And then, with some help, Fish turned things around for the biggest victory of his career, a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 comeback against the fifth-seeded Spaniard to reach the third round of the Olympics.
Ferrero, the French Open champion and U.S. Open runner-up last year, double-faulted twice while serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set. That gave the 22nd-ranked Fish an opening, and he took control.
"In a normal tournament, I would have tried just as hard, but there's definitely something extra there," said Fish, who came to Greece on a three-match losing streak.
"I kept saying to myself: 'This is the Olympics. This is the Olympics. I can't really go out like this, in two straight sets.'"
[...]
Fish can't claim too many big wins over top players yet. His previous career highlight was knocking off 1998 French Open champion Carlos Moya in the Australian Open's second round last year.
"That's something that's holding me back ... beating these guys consistently. The guys in the top 10, they play the other guys in the top 10 very well," said Fish, up next against Max Mirnyi of Belarus. He called his victory over Ferrero "definitely a confidence-booster going into the U.S. Open," which starts Aug. 30.
Ferrero appeared to be in complete control, up a set and a break. But serving for the match at 5-4, he double-faulted twice. When a 15-stroke exchange ended with Ferrero's backhand catching the net tape and dribbling back on his side, Fish was suddenly still in it at 5-5.
"I should have had an easy, 6-4, 6-4 win, and I made it tough on myself," Ferrero said. "I had the wind against me, and the sun in my eyes. I had to toss the ball a bit differently, and that led to the double-faults."
Fish ended the tiebreaker with a crisp backhand volley, then grabbed a 2-1 edge in the last set. He got to break point with a running backhand passing winner, and converted when Ferrero dumped a forehand into the net.
There was one last tough spot for the American.
Serving for the match, he made three errors to hand Ferrero three break points at 15-40. But Fish regrouped to close it out with three aces and a service winner.
He wheeled and smacked a ball underhand out of the stadium, as the opening notes of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" blared over center court's speakers.
"I just tried to stay aggressive," Fish said. "That's the way I play well."
