| Ferrero Wins Italian; Mauresmo German | |
Dateline: 05/14/01
Juan Carlos Ferrero defeated Gustavo Kuerten 3-6, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in Sunday's Italian Open final in Rome to move up to the number two spot in the ATP Champions Race. Fererro and Kuerten entered the Italian Open as the two best players on clay this year, each with three championships.
Their battle for a fourth championship in Rome was the sort of three hour, four minute epic you see more often on clay than on any other surface. Some clay court matches are almost pure baseline battles, but in this one, drop shots, volleys, and some interesting serving strategies played an important role.
Kuerten is not especially comfortable at the net, and Ferrero used drop shots to either win points outright or put Kuerten where he could be passed or lobbed. Kuerten tried the same tactic against Ferrero, but the quick Spaniard got to most of the drop shots too easily, and when he had to volley, he did it well.
It's usually not smart to keep sending your opponent the same shot over and over during a match, because the opponent will find a way to adjust, but Ferrero used a wide kick serve to Kuerten's backhand on almost every point from the ad side, and Kuerten never found a good answer. Like most one-handers, Kuerten usually can't hit the high backhand as aggressively as most other balls, and Ferrero's wide kicker pulled him far enough off court that a defensive return would give Ferrero an offensive opportunity combined with a lot of open court. Eventually, Kuerten tried moving forward to take the ball earlier on the return, but this proved difficult. Kuerten likes to take a long stroke at the ball, and taking the ball early works best with a more compact swing.
Kuerten's long strokes also proved disadvantageous in Sunday's windy conditions. With a longer swing, the ball gets blown around more while you're in the midst of swinging at it. Ferrero's more compact strokes misfired less often than Kuerten's, and his footwork was also more precise. Kuerten likes to take a few huge steps toward a ball. On a windy day, smaller steps are especially important for making last-second adjustments to changes in the ball's flight. The advantage of a longer swing is that it's easier to generate power, especially if you're a stringbean like Kuerten. Kuerten does have a little more firepower than Ferrero, although Ferrero generates impressive power on both his forehand and his two-handed backhand, especially considering that he lacks the bulk of, for example, a compact stroker like Andre Agassi.
As of this writing, Agassi has yet to win a match on clay this year. Still the number one player by a sizeable margin in this year's Champions Race, Agassi has to be considered a serious contender for the upcoming French Open, but he is no longer the favorite many thought him to be several weeks ago. Kuerten, a two-time French Open champion, is generally considered the best bet, with Ferrero emerging as a close second. A windy day in one of the later rounds, though, will put Kuerten in serious jeopardy.
Fans of Pete Sampras have been hoping that the aging all-time Grand Slam singles record holder would surprise everyone by finally filling the one gap in his accomplishments, a French Open title, but Pete's prospects are looking worse each week. Like Agassi, he has yet to win a single match on clay this year, and as attention in the ATP Tour moves from Rome to Hamburg, Sampras's stay in Hamburg will be unexpectedly brief. He was upset Monday in the first round, losing to Alex Calatrava 6-7 (7-3), 6-3, 6-4.
The women were busy in the German Open final in Berlin Sunday, where Amelie Mauresmo outlasted Jennifer Capriati 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. Both players are having an outstanding year and should be considered strong contenders for the French Open. Mauresmo's best shot against Capriati was her one-handed backhand, hit sharply crosscourt with heavy topspin. That shot earned her a multitude of points in their close final, and it's one to look for as a key factor in her French Open campaign.
Most of our French Open prediction thread has focused on the men so far. More predictions about the guys are welcome, but let's hear from a few WTA fans, too. Join our forum discussion.
