Journalism of Courage
Spaniard David Ferrer produced one of his finest performances to edge world number one and compatriot Rafael Nadal 6-3 7-5 in the Paris Masters semi-final on Saturday and keep alive his hope of retaining his crown.
Third seed Ferrer,who won his first Masters Series title in Paris last year,will face Novak Djokovic in the final of the indoor event on Sunday after the Serb earlier subdued Roger Federer 4-6 6-3 6-2 in the battle of the former world number ones.
Ferrer,who entered his match with a 4-20 win-loss record against Nadal but had won their previous encounter on hard courts,at the 2011 Australian Open,dominated from the first point to the last.
He began aggressively,forcing Nadal to defend and breaking his opponent8217;s serve in the fourth game.
Nadal regrouped and created three break chances in the second game of the second set,only to see Ferrer level at 1-1 and then take advantage of one of the top seed8217;s numerous errors to lead 2-1.
Nadal threatened to record a great comeback when he levelled at 5-5,but Ferrer broke immediately and wrapped up the match on his first chance with a powerful ground stroke.
That might have been my best performance of the season, he said.
I played a very complete match and I knew that to beat Rafa I had to give my best. Maybe he started a bit nervously with more errors than usual,but the second set was really tough, he said.
It was a big blow when I couldn8217;t serve out the match at 5-4. You can8217;t afford to let opportunities slip against Rafa. In the key moments you always have more self-doubt,but I just tried to put that game behind me and refocus.
Djokovic recovery
Power had also made the difference earlier on Saturday as 2009 champion Djokovic defeated Federer despite struggling to control the brilliant Swiss early on. Federer,who has slipped to sixth in the rankings after enduring his worst season in 10 years,broke his opponent8217;s serve in the third game.
Loudly cheered by the packed crowd,the 17-times grand slam champion unsettled Djokovic by attacking the net as often as possible and hitting some sharp groundstrokes.
Federer looked set to qualify for his first Masters Series final this year when he broke Djokovic again in the opening game of the second set,but the Serb hit back for 1-1.
Federer lost the initiative after errors began to creep into his game and he also struggled with his serve. Djokovic broke Federer8217;s serve a second time to lead 4-2 and he carried the momentum through the deciding set.
Both players will meet again next week at the ATP World Tour Finals in London after they were drawn on Saturday in the same round-robin group.
Del Potro robbed on way to tour finals
Tunis: Argentina8217;s Juan Martin del Potro was robbed of a briefcase as he signed an autograph at Gard du Nord in Paris on Saturday on his way to London for next week8217;s ATP World Tour Finals. I was checking in for the Eurostar train and I was asked for an autograph. I turned round to sign it and in those 20 seconds I had the case stolen, Del Potro said in a statement. The world number five,who lost his Paris Masters quarter-final to Roger Federer on Friday,kept his passport,money and other personal effects,including a rosary,in the briefcase. My rosary,blessed by Pope Francis,which I took with me everywhere,that8217;s what mattered to me most, said Del Potro,who met the Argentine-born Pope during the Italian Open in Rome earlier in the year.
