Ferrer Begins Quest For Fifth Title
Ferrer Begins Quest For Fifth Title
Ferrer, Tsonga and Isner progress in New Zealand
Top seed and four-time champion David Ferrer rolled past Australian qualifier Matthew Barton 6-2, 6-4 in 65 minutes on Wednesday at the ASB Classic.
The Spaniard, who owns more Auckland titles than any other player in the Open Era, winning in 2007 and 2011-2013, took a wild card into the draw after an opening-round loss in Doha last week. He was a perfect 11 for 11 on first-serve points in taking the first set, and would win 23 of 26 (88 per cent) in total in moving into the quarter-finals. Ferrer is now 17-2 as a top seed in Auckland.
Barton, who in his 13th attempt qualified for his first ATP World Tour main draw, then won his tour-level debut against American Steve Johnson on Monday, finished with six aces to two doubles faults.
Later in the day, second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga got a win on his first appearance in Auckland by defeating 2008 titlist Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-4 in 67 minutes. The Frenchman now faces sixth seed Fabio Fognini, who needed just 47 minutes to outhit Dutch qualifier Thiemo de Bakker 6-1, 6-1. The Italian never faced a break point.
How narrow were the margins in the all-American battle between power servers John Isner and Sam Querrey? Consider this: there were a combined 52 aces and no service breaks until the seventh game of the third set. But in the end it was the No. 3 seed and two-time champion Isner that emerged victorious 7-6(8), 6-7(4), 6-4 in two hours and 13 minutes.
Isner improved to 2-4 lifetime against Querrey, who has won 17 of 19 meetings with his countrymen since 2013 (including Challengers).
“It was obviously a very close match,” said Isner, who registered 31 aces. “I considered it pretty much a coin flip out here tonight, and I was fortunate to win.”
It was at 3-all in the third set that Isner finally scored the lone break of the match, and three games later he served it out, appropriately, with yet another ace.
Eighth seed Roberto Bautista Agut saved both break points he faced in downing Donald Young 6-4, 7-6(3) in one hour and 26 minutes. Lukas Rosol scored a 6-4, 7-6(5) upset of No. 5 seed Benot Paire.