Sony Ericsson Open: Novak Djokovic Ousts Fighting David Ferrer

Novak Djokovic’s run in this year’s Sony Ericsson Open has been nothing but stellar. When I saw that these two “human machines” were to play each other, I knew we were in for a good one. David Ferrer is never to be taken lightly. David’s mental toughness and speedy legs, accompanied by his barrage of groundies, have found many people at the losing end of the match. But it just wasn’t enough to rid of Djokovic.

Novak won 6-2, 7-6(1), in a memorable match from Key Biscayne.

Novak was off and running from the start. He was hitting wherever Ferrer wasn’t, making the Spaniard look fast yet slow at the same time. Ferrer was in the match, but the level of play from the world No. 1 was up and beyond. He forced the errors from Ferrer or he would pound them into the court for a winner.

In the first set, Novak made 11 winners and only seven unforced errors. Ferrer was only able to make three winners accompanied by 11 unforced. The way the points were being played by each player, the only way to even end the point would be by an unforced error by either of them—but Djokovic rarely missed. 

Djokovic was hitting the majority of the balls nine meters into the court. Talk about taking the ball early! There were shots where Ferrer would try to take early but he would be knocked onto his back foot, off-balance, and it would crash in the net.

Then the second set brought the drama.

The best point by David Ferrer was in Novak’s opening service game in the second set at 30-30 when Novak was relentlessly bashing the ball and made his way to net, and Ferrer made a screeching of a passing shot forehand-winner crosscourt. I would name it as one of the best points played this week at the Sony Ericsson Open. Then in the next point, Djokovic did a monster kick serve that ran away from Ferrer.

That same game continued on for 13 minutes as Ferrer’s defensive skills—I’ve nicknamed him “The Wall”—were keeping the ball in play as long as possible, waiting for that opportunity to put more on it and also to force Djokovic to do something more. Ferrer finally got the break he needed to level at 1-1 after a 33-ball strike rally. The spirit of Ferrer was still alive and thumping.

Ferrer held serve with a fist pump to finally have a lead in the match 2-1. There was still a lot of work ahead of him, but he is certainly one of the famous workhorses on the tour. The pressure was on Djokovic to hold serve after one of those “momentum changing” games.

His momentum started to lag slightly along with his energy. He actually armed a few balls that went long as he did not initiate his core in the stroke. That comes from lack of energy. He started to talk to himself more, urging himself to serve it out and end the torture. He leveled it to 2-2.

The level of intensity from Ferrer started to rise as he sniffed blood in the air from the other end. He held his next service game at love to keep hold of his lead in the second at 3-2. The Spanish flags in the stadium were waving high and proud to keep cheering on their man.

Djokovic had all the time in the world on one shot, and looked as though he would take it down the line but at the last second, attempted the drop-shot that landed nowhere close. He had changed his mind at the last second which is something you cannot get away with in tennis. Once you commit, do it. The Serbian came back swinging even harder and ended the game with an ace to keep it Even Steven.

Djokovic’s return game was still not like it was in this first set, but after the kind of rallies they had, I am surprised they could even find the energy to walk—even though they are as fit as a fiddle. Djokovic held serve to go to 4-4, but Ferrer’s service games really gave him a chance to get ahead in the rallies with a good first ball before Novak’s. It wasn’t enough to get the first ball in, as Novak stepped up his gamer even further to finally break the Spaniard's service game to take it 5-4.

Now he could finally serve for the set and the match. Novak became a bit edgy in the opening points as Ferrer battered back balls with all his might to keep the match going. They entered, yet again, a racket pounding rally that went 41 ball strikes long. It ended with Novak’s slice clipping the tape that opened up break point for David Ferrer. The pressure was on. Ferrer gave a finesse drop shot that Djokovic could only lob, but Ferrer put it away with a slam followed by a mighty fist pump.

The longer the rallies were getting, the more Ferrer was gaining momentum and stealing the match away from the world No. 1. The Spaniard was firing pistol-like shots, making the weary Serbian run even more every single point. The attitude of David was outstanding. To lose the first set as he had and then suddenly come back all guns blazing in the second is not an easy task. It shows his mental toughness.

They entered a tiebreak to finally decide who would take that alluring second set. Djokovic was given a mini-break on the very first point when Ferrer moved forward too soon on a floater. A bad challenge from Ferrer helped Novak go from 3-1 to 4-1 then 5-1 with a harder-than-a-brick-house passing shot. The finish line was finally in sight and it gave Djokovic that extra push to finally end it with a bang at 7-1.

This was one of the best matches I had seen from the Sony Ericsson Open. The quality was absolutely superb by both men. The attitude, fighting spirit, groundies, volleys, footwork…gosh. Everything about this match was amazing. It is such a shame that there had to be a loser in this match. In my eyes, both of them won.

Our world No. 1 takes on Juan Monaco tomorrow in the semifinals.