Ferrer and Lopez advance to all-Spanish final in Kuala Lumpur - UBITENNIS

Ferrer and Lopez advance to all-Spanish final in Kuala Lumpur

By Bruno Bergareche
4 Min Read

There will be a Spanish champion in Malaysia after David Ferrer knocked out Benjamin Becker in three sets (3-6, 6-2, 6-4) and Feliciano Lopez dispatched Nick Kyrgios 7-6, 7-6.

Kyrgios, showing positive signs of improvement this week in Malaysia, was edged in both tie breaks by Feliciano Lopez, who fired 12 aces past him and, impressively, won 85 per cent of points on his first serve, with stats like that there wasn’t much the Aussie could do to make progress on Lopez’s serve.

At the age of 34, and recently married, Lopez is playing the best tennis of his career having found consistency and, most importantly, the knowledge to mask his weaknesses and exploit his strengths.

“The first tie break I took advantage of. It was clear that I normally would win that one but the second one was very tight. After 5-4, with two, three crazy points, I think I have to be proud of the way I played because he was really playing well today. Experience is always a good thing to have but today I think the match could have gone either way because if you play a tie break against someone who’s such a good server as Nick you know it’s going to be tight”, said the Spaniard.

After backing up quarter final showings in Cincinnati and the US Open with this run in Kuala Lumpur, Lopez will climb to places to 15 in the rankings regardless of his result against Ferrer in the final. A match he anticipates will be a “battle” where “we usually go three sets. But considering the level I’m playing at now I still think I’m playing better than I was February”, when he reached his career high ranking of 12.

This will be Lopez’s second ATP final of the season after Quito and a chance to add to his four career titles (Eastbourne 2013 & 2014, Johannesburg 2010 and Vienna 2004).

As for Ferrer this is a confidence boosting week after having suffered with an injured elbow all summer. The feisty Spaniard reappeared at the US Open but was visibly below par as he made a third round exit. He then went on to help Spain to a comfortable win over Denmark in the Davis Cup and this week he has rediscovered some good form, if not yet his best, to reach the final in Kuala Lumpur.

Thanks to this final appearance Ferrer will leapfrog compatriot Nadal into seventh place in the rankings and take a step closer to yet another ATP World Tour Finals participation. Ferrer will be vying to lift his fourth title of the season and the 25th of his career when he faces Lopez for the 15th time, a head to head he leads 8-6.

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