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2/6/10 3:00 PM | Ricky Dimon
Stephane Robert is through to his maiden ATP title match after toppling David Ferrer in the Johannesburg semifinals on Saturday. Next up for Robert is either Gael Monfils or Feliciano Lopez.
Playing in just his fifth ATP-level tournament, Stephane Robert reached his first final on Saturday afternoon in Johannesburg. Robert needed one hour and 36 minutes to upset David Ferrer 7-5, 6-4 in the semifinals of the SA Tennis Open.
Showing no signs of nerves in his first ATP semifinal, Robert jumped out to an early break lead in the opening set. The 29-year-old Frenchman gave it back serving at 3-2, but he stayed on course and continued to put the pressure on Ferrer with aggressive hard-court tactics. Serving to stay in the set at 4-5, Robert went on a streak of three near-flawless games; he held for 5-5, broke for 6-5, and survived a tough service game to close out the opening frame of play.
With momentum in hand, Robert broke immediately to begin the second set. The world No. 100 kept the ball in play while also rushing the net behind almost every short ball as Ferrer began to fall apart mentally. Robert added a routine insurance break for a commanding 5-2 advantage before visions of a spot in the final clearly rattled his nerves.
Ferrer earned his second break of the match and he did it at love to stay alive in the match. The second-seeded Spaniard, who lost in last year's semifinals to Jeremy Chardy, then battled through a tense, multiple-deuce service game to hold for 4-5. Robert was once again shaky with another chance to serve out the proceedings, squandering three match points including one with a double-fault at 40-30. He finally clinched his place in the title match with a blistering service winner.
Robert finished with just three aces and six double-faults, but it otherwise had to be the best performance of his ATP career. He won 74 percent of his first-serve points and took advantage of Ferrer's second serve to win 22 of those 37 points. At the same time, it was a dismal showing for the world No. 18, who saved only one of five break points and sprayed error after error off the backhand wing.
Next up for Robert--in Sunday's final--is either No. 1 seed Gael Monfils or third-seeded Feliciano Lopez.
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Lol David Ferrer lost in straight sets to a player like Stephane Robert
tennis2010 , 2/6/10 9:44 PM