from Reuters
28 June 2003

LONDON (Reuters) – French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero demonstrated he is more than just a clay-court specialist after beating Armenian Sargis Sargsian 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to reach the last 16 of Wimbledon Saturday. Third seed Ferrero, who had never progressed beyond the third round in his previous two appearances at the grass-court grand slam, overcame a spirited fightback from the 30-year-old who has a reputation for knocking out seeds at grand slams.
Sargsian, conqueror of 26th seed James Blake in the previous round, started confidently, serving out the first game to love and then immediately put pressure on the Spaniard’s serve which Ferrero only held after four deuces..

The 23-year-old Ferrero, playing only his eighth match at Wimbledon, quickly settled and after a series of long baseline rallies he broke Sargsian in the seventh game..

Sargsian tried to bring Ferrero to the net, but he quickly found himself a set down and then a break down in the second..

Ferrero recovered from 0-40 to salvage serve with four straight winners on his way to taking the second set and looked on course for a quick finish..

But Sargsian, looking for his first visit to the round of 16 at Wimbledon, fought back to take the third as Ferrero went off the boil..

The Spaniard, one of only two grand slam winners left in the men’s draw, regained the momentum, however, and wrapped up the match to set up a meeting with 13th-seeded Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean.