Whilst the end of his career is in sight, David Ferrer has illustrated that he still has the ability to compete at the top level of the sport.
The 36-year-old, who will officially retire in May, dropped just five games during his 6-3, 6-2, win over Sam Querrey in the first round of the Miami Masters. Winning 81% of his first service points and dropping serve only once throughout the encounter. Ferrer was also able to capitalize on a mixed display from Querrey, who produced a costly 34 unforced errors. More than three-times his tally of 10.
“I enjoyed it a lot. It’s Miami, a lot of people have supported me all these years. For me, it’s a great experience to play in this new stadium,” Ferrer told TennisTV. “I’m really happy because I played really good… I am doing my goal, and my goal is to be competitive.”
The Spaniard is making his 17th consecutive appearance in Miami this year. Since making his debut back in 2003, Ferrer has won 33 out of 49 matches played at the event. In 2013 he reached the final before being denied the title by Andy Murray. He has also reached the quarter-finals or better on five other occasions.
Ferrer’s next opponent comes in the shape of Alexander Zverev. A player who was only six when Ferrer played his first match in Miami. Their head-to-head is in favour of the German, who leads 4-2 and has won their four most recent meetings on the tour. Their most recent clash occurred last month in Acapulco, where Zverev prevailed in straight sets.
“It’s going to be tough, the last few times I’ve lost (against him).” Ferrer admits. “I know he’s an incredible player, he’s number three in the world. So I will have to play really good to beat him. I will try my best and enjoy every point that I play.”
Currently ranked 155th in the world, Ferrer is set to play his final competitive match at the Madrid Open. He is one of only four active players on the tour to achieve 700 or more wins. During his career, Ferrer has won 27 ATP titles and finished seven seasons in the world’s top 10.
