ARTICLE Forgotten Ferrero looms as a danger
Remember Juan Carlos Ferrero?
The former world No.1 and last year's Australian Open semi-finalist jogged a few memories as he barely broke sweat in whacking Argentine Mariano Zabaleta out of this year's Open.
Cliched as the term "forgotten man" is, it sums up Ferrero's Australian Open status perfectly after injury and illness in 2004 sent his world ranking plummeting to No.31.
But the message was clear in Ferrero's 6-1 6-2 6-0 second round shellacking of the world No.51 - the Spaniard can still play and could be the banana skin looming in Lleyton Hewitt's half of the draw.
"Why not?" said Ferrero when asked if he could repeat or even better his semi-final finish at Melbourne Park last year.
"If I play like today in the next few days I think I can go through.
"We'll see but I think I can."
Ferrero's 2004 semi-final defeat by eventual winner Roger Federer was the 2003 French Open champion and US Open runner-up's best performance of a year he looked poised to shake off the tag of being just a clay-court specialist.
Chicken pox, followed by a tumble in training in which he injured his wrist and ribs, allowed him no continuity whatsover in a cursed year.
Ferrero thought his injury nightmare was recurring when he hurt his ankle playing doubles on Wednesday.
But he showed no signs of discomfort on his heavily strapped ankle as he took control with an early first set service break, then broke Zabaleta's serve at will for the rest of an 83-minute clinic.
Just where Ferrero sits in the tennis world order since his absence will become clearer in his next clash - a third round showdown with world No.6 Guillermo Coria.
Coria had a much tougher assignment today to dispatch Brazil's Ricardo Mello 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-3).
Remember Juan Carlos Ferrero?
The former world No.1 and last year's Australian Open semi-finalist jogged a few memories as he barely broke sweat in whacking Argentine Mariano Zabaleta out of this year's Open.
Cliched as the term "forgotten man" is, it sums up Ferrero's Australian Open status perfectly after injury and illness in 2004 sent his world ranking plummeting to No.31.
But the message was clear in Ferrero's 6-1 6-2 6-0 second round shellacking of the world No.51 - the Spaniard can still play and could be the banana skin looming in Lleyton Hewitt's half of the draw.
"Why not?" said Ferrero when asked if he could repeat or even better his semi-final finish at Melbourne Park last year.
"If I play like today in the next few days I think I can go through.
"We'll see but I think I can."
Ferrero's 2004 semi-final defeat by eventual winner Roger Federer was the 2003 French Open champion and US Open runner-up's best performance of a year he looked poised to shake off the tag of being just a clay-court specialist.
Chicken pox, followed by a tumble in training in which he injured his wrist and ribs, allowed him no continuity whatsover in a cursed year.
Ferrero thought his injury nightmare was recurring when he hurt his ankle playing doubles on Wednesday.
But he showed no signs of discomfort on his heavily strapped ankle as he took control with an early first set service break, then broke Zabaleta's serve at will for the rest of an 83-minute clinic.
Just where Ferrero sits in the tennis world order since his absence will become clearer in his next clash - a third round showdown with world No.6 Guillermo Coria.
Coria had a much tougher assignment today to dispatch Brazil's Ricardo Mello 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-3).
