Juan Carlos Ferrero and Roger Federer battled for a spot in the 2003 Madrid Masters title match. The Spaniard prevailed in the clash of the year’s No. 1 contenders, beating the Swiss 6-4, 4-6 and 6-4 in one hour and 52 minutes to continue on the path of the title. The crowd favorite won a point more than the Wimbledon champion, losing serve once and giving up two breaks to emerge on top. The Swiss was the most aggressive player, with more winners and unforced errors. Federer had a slight edge in the shorter exchanges but lost ground in the longer ones to end up on the losing end. The Spaniard got a break in the fifth game of the first set and gave up two points after the opening blow to control the score and take it 6-4. Federer took command in the second set, serving well and earning a break at 15 in game 10 to lead to a decider and gain momentum. However, Ferrero played at a higher level and broke down after a forehand return winner in game five. The Spaniard served well in the remaining games and held on after deuce at 5-4 to seal the deal and pick up valuable points. “I was not happy with my game today. I had some good moments, but it was full of ups and downs in others. I controlled the match, not Juan Carlos; I took risks and made too many mistakes. My return was horrible in the first set.”
Clarey comments on King Roger
Roger Federer is one of the greatest players of all time. He is revered for his exploits on the court and the way he has conducted himself off the court. “I don’t presume to know how he developed personally. I’m not his friend, not a family member. An interview is an interview. Here he is very pleasant, very open. He hasn’t changed at all in certain areas – even if he has become a billionaire in the meantime (laughs). He always asks questions. My first conversation in 2001 was less of an interview and more of a conversation. And in 2019, the last time I spoke to him, it was the same,” Clarey said. According to Christopher Clarey, Roger Federer believes he can win another Major after coming so close at the 2019 Wimbledon. For reference, the Swiss had two championship points against Novak Djokovic in the final but ended up losing a deciding-set tie-break. “When Roger was last healthy, he was only one point away from winning Wimbledon – one point! I think he expects to have another good chance. Sure, on paper it didn’t look bad in 2021, he was in the quarterfinals at the age of 39,” Clarey said. Personally, I don’t think he’ll get any further than before, I think there are too many players in the way. But why should Roger think so?”