Ferrero cruises into final

Published September 29, 2002

HONG KONG, Sept 28: Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero feels more at home on the slow clay of Europe, but he declared a new-found liking for faster hard courts after cruising into the final of the Hong Kong Open on Saturday.

The second seed ripped through French serve-volleyer Jerome Golmard in just over an hour for a 6-4, 6-1 win, his fourth straight-sets win of the tournament.

“I’m feeling so good right now,” Ferrero said after the match, noting that he had not a lost set all week.

“I haven’t won a tournament without losing a set before, I’d really like to do that.”

In Sunday’s final, Ferrero will meet compatriot and number three seed Carlos Moya who beat Sweden’s Jonas Bjorkman in the other semifinal.

Ferrero, ranked six in the world, has just one hard-court tournament win, taking the title at Dubai last year, out of a career total of six victories.

His other five titles have been on his beloved clay, including his only triumph this year in a Masters Series event in Monte Carlo.

Golmard, ranked 136 in the world, seemed too anxious to come to the net and made a series of unforced errors.

The Frenchman had enjoyed a dream run at this year’s Hong Kong Open, knocking out fourth seed Alex Corretja in the second round and fifth seed Juan Ignacio Chela in the quarter finals.

But Golmard was unable to hold his own from the baseline with Ferrero, his inconsistency and inpatience partly due to a severe blister on his right little toe that needed medical attention between sets.

RESULTS: (x denotes seeded player)

(SEMIFINALS): Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spa x2) bt Jerome Golmard (Fra) 6-4, 6-1; Carlos Moya (Spa x3) bt Jonas Bjorkman (Swe) 6-4, 7-6 (7/1).—AFP