US Open: David Ferrer admits he was lucky to get by Janko Tipsarevic

By LARRY FINE
Published on 08/09/2012 01:52

SPAIN’s fourth seed David Ferrer edged Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 6-3, 6-7, 2-6, 6-3 7-6 late on Thursday night in a see-saw slugfest marked by gutsy, gritty play to reach the semi-finals of the US Open.

Ferrer, who was a break down early in the fifth set, won the pressure packed four-hour, 31-minute quarter-final by claiming the climactic tiebreaker 7-4 when Tipsarevic hit a backhand into the net from deep in the corner.

“I don’t have words. I am really happy,” said the 30-year-old Ferrer, who went down on his knees in relief after the final point before raising both fists to the cheering Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. “It was an emotional match. It was a really tough match. Janko is an amazing player. He fights a lot.”

Ferrer, nicknamed the ‘Little Beast’ will play Novak Djokovic in the second of the men’s singles finals tonight.

The win was another highlight in a career season for Ferrer, who has captured five titles on three different surfaces and made at least the quarter-finals of all four grand slams.

“I think it was a high, intense match with not too many ups and downs,” said Tipsarevic. “Both of us are baseline players, both of us are big fighters on court, so something like this was only expected.”

Ferrer likened the intensity and emotions of the match to a Davis Cup tie and tipped his cap to Tipsarevic. “My opponent, he deserved also to win this match,” he said. “In one tiebreak it’s a lottery and I was lucky in important moments.”

Ferrer denied the eighth seed Tipsarevic his first trip to a grand slam semi-final in 35 tries but the 28-year-old Serb had nothing to be ashamed of in a hard-hitting war of attrition in which both players were treated for injuries. The Spaniard had a right toe treated during the third set, and Tipsarevic had his left foot wrapped before the start of the final set, during which he took a sprawling fall on court and summoned a trainer to tape his right thigh. Ferrer fell behind 3-0 in the fifth set after the Serb seized the upper hand.

The fighting spirit of Ferrer was also in full display as the Spaniard used a brilliant
top-spin backhand lob to help him break back in the seventh game and put the set back on serve. The deciding tiebrak went on serve until Ferrer took a mini break for 5-3 after a brutal rally and the Spaniard held firm.