Ferrero Captures Estoril Crown

kat — Mon, 16 Apr 2001 13:31:26 +0000

Taken from the Official Estoril Open website
16 April 2001

In an all-Spanish shootout, top seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero battled past compatriot qualifier Felix Mantilla 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3 to win the Estoril Open.

“I came here with a goal to win this tournament, I did it and I’m very happy. Physically it was a terrible match. He (Mantilla) is playing so good and he is going to rise to the top again.” Ferrero said after the match.

“Losing 3-1 in the third set it was a bit tough. Then I started playing quite good and my mind was quite fresh. I was extremely relieved and happy.” he added.

With the victory, the 21-year-old New Balls Please campaign star Ferrero, who hadn’t dropped a set going into the Estoril final, claimed his third-career title, and second of the year, after taking the crown at the Dubai Tennis Championships in March.

Snapping Mantilla’s 17 match winning streak, which has spanned two straight titles at Espinho and Barletta on the challenger circuit, Ferrero broke the Spaniard twice in the decider to steal the victory.

“I’m dead now. Ferrero is one of the three or four best players on clay and it was very tough. I wasn’t used to losing (after so many wins) and it felt strange, but this was his day.” Mantilla said afterwards.

Denying his compatriot of becoming the first qualifier to win the Estoril Open, Ferrero earned 40 ATP Champions Race points and a total prize money of US $84,000.

Despite the loss, Mantilla, who is finally returning to the form that made him a 1998 Roland Garros semifinalist after an injury-plagued year 2000 campaign, collects 28 Champions Race points and a total of US $49,000.

In the doubles final qualifiers Radek Stepanek and Michal Tabara defeated topseeded Nenad Zimonjic and Donald Johnson 6-4, 6-2.

Said Stepanek: “We saved three match points in the qualifying rounds. We were 3-5, 0-40 down in the first round of qualifying and we won the title. I can only laugh. Michal only deceided to play doubles with me one minute before the deadline. We had a great week.”

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Ferrero Captures Estoril Crown