David Ferrer Looking to Close Career with 1 Last Run at the ATP World Tour Final
Spaniard David Ferrer has often been overlooked on the ATP tour, but he cannot be ignored. While bigger stars aim to win majors and Masters 1000 tournaments, Ferrer packs his bags to double down at smaller venues where he often comes in as the top seed. Those should be proving grounds for young players, but the 33-year-old Ferrer is a tireless competitor, fully energized and rarely discouraged.
For the sixth straight year, Ferrer has been in the thick of the October hunt, chasing precious points to qualify as one of the elite-eight competitors for London’s ATP World Tour Final. This week he checks into Vienna as the No. 1 seed, hoping that this title will clinch his golden ticket.
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But while Ferrer’s consistency is nearly a sure thing, 2015 could be his last before he finally fades into the sunset of a remarkably unique career.
King of the Mid-Majors
The stocky Ferrer looks like he could wrestle. He’s got muscular arms, a barrel chest and a large headband knotted with the tails hanging behind his head. Despite his strength, Ferrer stands at only 5’9” in a sport that is steadily producing more tree toppers. His conditioning and competitive heart is first rate, but Ferrer has largely been unable to beat back the power of bigger stars.
Instead, “Mighty Mouse” has played to his strengths, using his legs to hustle behind a consistent game of groundstrokes. Most important, his stamina is indefatigable. He stays strong through every match, and he is willing to put in the extra weeks at mid-majors.
It’s these level-250 and level-500 tournaments where Ferrer has built himself into a top-10 machine. His 25 career titles have come at places all over the globe from the likes of Auckland and Doha to Kuala Lumpur and Bastad.
Most telling, 42 of Ferrer's 50 final appearances have been at these mid-major tournaments. He has seven Masters 1000 finals (winning only Paris in 2012) and one major final, a straight-sets defeat to Rafael Nadal at the 2013 French Open.
Through it all, Ferrer keeps the airlines humming, and he is a notable guest for special pre-tournament appearances at places like Vienna, where they do not land the biggest stars to compete.
Swansong
The amazing thing about Ferrer’s career is how he began peaking in his late 20s. Part of his improvement and longevity was his determination to succeed everywhere. Unlike most clay-court specialists from decades past, Ferrer has adapted his talents for nearly equal success on hard courts.
His durability and willingness to play everywhere has earned him several mid-major titles despite frequent quarterfinals exits at Masters tournaments and majors.
From 2003-09, Ferrer had three semifinal appearances at Masters venues and a strong 2007 season with the U.S. Open semifinal and the WTF final.
From 2010-15, Ferrer has had 13 semifinal or final appearances at Masters venues and five times he's reached the semifinals or better in majors. He’s also looking for that sixth straight time at the WTF.
For tennis fans, it might be easy to take Ferrer for granted. He’s rarely discussed as a contender for the big titles, but he’s sure to battle hard against other top-20 talents, sometimes pulling off a big upset, but usually packing his bags for the next trip to the filler tournaments.
Is this the last time Ferrer will make it to the WTF final in London?
First, he needs to polish things off at Vienna and maybe a match or two at Paris, depending on if either Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Richard Gasquet can catch fire.
It stands to reason that other, younger players will pass him by in 2016, or maybe a superior talent like Marin Cilic will be more consistent. However, Ferrer ignored the prognosticators years ago and the only reason he knows is to keep playing as hard and as often as possible.
Ferrer is more than a points vulture looking to swoop in for the leftovers. Instead, he deserves respect for what could be his swansong, the last time he can push his underdog chances at one of the other big stars at the WTF.
Imagine if Ferrer won the WTF. There would not be a single person who would not be happy for him. For once, the king of the mid-majors could hold up a truly large crown.
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