Ferrer Outlasts Nalbandian in Grueling Five-Setter

NEW YORK, Sep 2 - A packed crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium set the stage for a grueling four-hour slugfest between two former top-10 players Sunday afternoon. No. 15 seed David Ferrer and No. 24 seed David Nalbandian, both 25, knew each other’s game pretty well, as this third-round contest was their eighth meeting in six years.

By the end of the marathon battle, only one David would survive. Though Nalbandian had a match point, it was Ferrer who proved himself the superior fighter, coming back from two-sets-to-one down to outlast Nalbandian, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-5.
Ferrer’s round of 16 match against fellow Spaniard and good friend Rafael Nadal will be a tough test of his ability to recover from his four-hour victory. No. 2 Nadal will likely have the fresher legs, as he spent only half that time on court dismissing Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round.

Asked his thoughts on playing Nadal in the fourth round, which is his career-best US Open result, Ferrer admitted he wanted to focus on recovering and enjoying his victory over Nalbandian.

“I don't want to think (about that) now because I'm tired,” he said. “If I think (about) Nadal, I'm more tired. No, Nadal, you know, he's unbelievable player, no? He plays with very good level. He runs so much. It's difficult to win (against) him.”

Ferrer easily won the first set with a more consistent game, as Nalbandian committed twice as many unforced errors in that frame with 14. One break in the second game was all Ferrer needed to jump-start to a 4-1 lead and cruise through the first set.

By the start of the second, the Argentine had found his game and cut back on his errors to produce crisper strokes in the long rallies. After both players traded five breaks of serve, Nalbandian had the upper hand at 5-3 and closed out the set to even the playing field with a crosscourt forehand winner.

Nalbandian’s aggressive play during rallies kept Ferrer on the defensive in the third set, and his 11 winners (Ferrer had five) in that frame gave him the opportunity to take a two-sets-to-one lead on his serve. He did so with a solid volley winner.

Nalbandian appeared to be in control of the match and ready to put it away in the fourth set, but Ferrer stepped up his game after falling down a break at 4-2. The turning point came on the Argentine’s serve at 4-3, when Ferrer fought through nine deuce points to finally get the break and eventually force a tiebreaker, which he won at 7-5 to even the score at two sets apiece.

Nalbandian was ahead 5-4, 40-30 on Ferrer’s serve in the fifth set when he lost his first and only match point with an error. Ferrer held serve, broke Nalbandian and then held triple match point before winning in an unusual circumstance. When his shot to the back corner of the court clipped the line but was called out, Ferrer challenged the call, which was overturned, ending the match in his favor and in just under four hours.