ARTICLE Ferrero brings Costa career to end
BARCELONA (AFP) - Juan Carlos Ferrero won a battle of former French Open champions as he ended the career of friend and rival Albert Costa 6-1, 5-7, 7-5 in the third round of the Barcelona Open.
Costa, the 2002 Roland Garros champion who beat Ferrero in four sets to claim the 2002 title in Paris, had said he would retire when his run in Barcelona concluded.
Tenth seed Ferrero, who lifted his own Paris trophy a year later, smashed down an overhead for match points and spelled the end for his 30-year-old compatriot as Costa sent a backhand return wide.
A sellout crowd at the real Club de Tenis gave father-of-two Costa a standing ovation after he and Ferrero shook hands and embraced at the net.
Costa, the 1997 Barcelona champion and 2002 finalist, won a dozen career titles and ended with a 21-13 record at this home event.
He also played on Spain's 2000 Davis Cup championship team.
Ferrero will Friday test himself in a quarter-final against new Spanish hope Nicolas Almagro, who benefitted from 14 double faults from 2004 French Open runner-up Guillermo Coria to earn a 6-2, 6-0 win.
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BARCELONA (AFP) - Juan Carlos Ferrero won a battle of former French Open champions as he ended the career of friend and rival Albert Costa 6-1, 5-7, 7-5 in the third round of the Barcelona Open.Costa, the 2002 Roland Garros champion who beat Ferrero in four sets to claim the 2002 title in Paris, had said he would retire when his run in Barcelona concluded.
Tenth seed Ferrero, who lifted his own Paris trophy a year later, smashed down an overhead for match points and spelled the end for his 30-year-old compatriot as Costa sent a backhand return wide.
A sellout crowd at the real Club de Tenis gave father-of-two Costa a standing ovation after he and Ferrero shook hands and embraced at the net.
Costa, the 1997 Barcelona champion and 2002 finalist, won a dozen career titles and ended with a 21-13 record at this home event.
He also played on Spain's 2000 Davis Cup championship team.
Ferrero will Friday test himself in a quarter-final against new Spanish hope Nicolas Almagro, who benefitted from 14 double faults from 2004 French Open runner-up Guillermo Coria to earn a 6-2, 6-0 win.
[...]
> source
> photos
