ARTICLE Safin triumphs in epic revenge battle with Ferrero
PARIS (AFP) - Childhood friends Marat Safin and Juan Carlos Ferrero buried their recent feud to serve up an enthralling French Open third round clash which the Russian clinched with a 7-6 (7/5), 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7/2) triumph over the Spaniard.
Australian Open champion Safin's reward is a fourth round match-up against another Spaniard, 15th-seeded Tommy Robredo.
The third round win was also sweet revenge for third-seeded Safin.
He had been beaten in the semi-finals here in 2002 by Ferrero and had also lost both his matches this year against the 2003 French Open champion at Monte Carlo and at Hamburg where the two were involved in an ugly slanging match over a disputed line call.
But all that was forgotten as the former world number ones battled out a memorable tussle on a packed Philippe Chatrier centre court.
"It's the kind of match which you want to watch on the video back home," said Safin.
"I was a little bit tense at the start of the third set and lost concentration. Then, in the fourth, I was lucky I broke back straightaway and then held my serve."
In a marathon first set, Ferrero broke first to lead 2-1 before his fellow 25-year-old hit back in the 10th game to level at 5-5.
A Safin double fault gave the Spaniard a 3-2 edge in the tie-break but back came the Russian setting up set point by valiantly chasing down a Ferrero drop shot.
He then took the opener after 73 minutes on a Ferrero mis-hit.
The Spaniard nipped ahead to lead 2-0 in the second set before Safin again charged back in the seventh.
But a mixture of superb defence and counter-attack helped Safin to break again to lead 5-4 and secured the set with an ace after 2hr and 10min on court.
For the third successive set, Ferrero got an early break to lead 2-0 and then hammered home his advantage to go 4-0 as Safin suffered his now traditional lapse to allow the Spaniard back into the tie after a futher 30 minutes.
The Spaniard needed treatment to his left foot in the changeover but it didn't affect his movement as he broke a laboured Safin service game to lead 3-2 in the fourth set before the Russian came straight back to 3-3.
Safin served a love-game to lead 5-4 courtesy of one sublime drop-shot and a confident pick-up off his toes.
Ferrero twice had to serve to stay in the match showing icy cool as the fourth set went into a tiebreak.
Safin took control with two deep and wide forehands which left Ferrero struggling.
A pinpoint backhand gave him four match points and he wrapped up the tie with a smash after a 3hr 45min duel.
PARIS (AFP) - Childhood friends Marat Safin and Juan Carlos Ferrero buried their recent feud to serve up an enthralling French Open third round clash which the Russian clinched with a 7-6 (7/5), 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7/2) triumph over the Spaniard.
Australian Open champion Safin's reward is a fourth round match-up against another Spaniard, 15th-seeded Tommy Robredo.
The third round win was also sweet revenge for third-seeded Safin.
He had been beaten in the semi-finals here in 2002 by Ferrero and had also lost both his matches this year against the 2003 French Open champion at Monte Carlo and at Hamburg where the two were involved in an ugly slanging match over a disputed line call.
But all that was forgotten as the former world number ones battled out a memorable tussle on a packed Philippe Chatrier centre court.
"It's the kind of match which you want to watch on the video back home," said Safin.
"I was a little bit tense at the start of the third set and lost concentration. Then, in the fourth, I was lucky I broke back straightaway and then held my serve."
In a marathon first set, Ferrero broke first to lead 2-1 before his fellow 25-year-old hit back in the 10th game to level at 5-5.
A Safin double fault gave the Spaniard a 3-2 edge in the tie-break but back came the Russian setting up set point by valiantly chasing down a Ferrero drop shot.
He then took the opener after 73 minutes on a Ferrero mis-hit.
The Spaniard nipped ahead to lead 2-0 in the second set before Safin again charged back in the seventh.
But a mixture of superb defence and counter-attack helped Safin to break again to lead 5-4 and secured the set with an ace after 2hr and 10min on court.
For the third successive set, Ferrero got an early break to lead 2-0 and then hammered home his advantage to go 4-0 as Safin suffered his now traditional lapse to allow the Spaniard back into the tie after a futher 30 minutes.
The Spaniard needed treatment to his left foot in the changeover but it didn't affect his movement as he broke a laboured Safin service game to lead 3-2 in the fourth set before the Russian came straight back to 3-3.
Safin served a love-game to lead 5-4 courtesy of one sublime drop-shot and a confident pick-up off his toes.
Ferrero twice had to serve to stay in the match showing icy cool as the fourth set went into a tiebreak.
Safin took control with two deep and wide forehands which left Ferrero struggling.
A pinpoint backhand gave him four match points and he wrapped up the tie with a smash after a 3hr 45min duel.
