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9/7/12 12:57 AM | Ricky Dimon
David Ferrer overcomes Janko Tipsarevic in a fifth-set tiebreaker on Thursday to reach the U.S. Open semifinals. Ferrer awaits either Novak Djokovic or Juan Martin Del Potro.
This one had just about about everything. But it only had one winner, and David Ferrer was the last man standing on Thursday afternoon.
Ferrer outlasted Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-7(5), 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) in an epic U.S. Open quarterfinal that lasted four hours and 31 minutes. The Spaniard survived a grueling, somewhat controversial 82-minute final set to book a spot in his fourth Grand Slam semifinal.
Ferrer dropped serve right away and and lost the first two games of the match, but he quickly restored order to the proceedings. New York's No. 4 seed won six of the next seven games, breaking at 1-2 and 3-2. He wrapped up the set with a solid hold in the ninth game, clinching it with a service winner.
Tipsarevic raised his level in the second to equal that of his opponent, and the result was one of the most entertaining sets of the tournament. Both men held the entire way, but not before an epic struggle with Tipsarevic serving at 5-5. The Serb fought off four break points thanks to clutch play and that ultimately allowed him to force a tiebreaker.
A high-quality 'breaker began with three straight mini-breaks and ended with nine consecutive points to the server. Tipsarevic rocketed an incredible backhand pass for 2-1, which proved to be the difference. Ferrer eventually saved two set points at 3-6 and 4-6, but Tipsarevic finished it off with a perfect inside-out forehand.
With momentum in hand, Tipsarevic heated up even more in the third--a feat that did not seem possible. The world No. 9 rifled a backhand return winner on break point at 2-2 to win a game that had traipsed through four deuces. He broke again at 4-2 by forcing Ferrer into a forehand error and quickly served out the set at love.
One of the most well-respected fighters on tour, Ferrer rose to the occasion with his back against the wall in set four. The fifth-ranked Spaniard battled out of a double-break-point hole at 1-1 to keep himself within striking distance and thus he was able to apply pressure on Tipsarevic. Ferrer earned the crucial break at 4-3, converting his second chance when his opponent netted a backhand. A love hold in the 10th game appropriately pushed the match to a decisive fifth set.
And what a fifth it was; with jaw-dropping rallies, plenty of drama, terrible line calls, a smidgen of bad blood, and a decisive tiebreaker to settle it. Tipsareic raced to a 4-1 lead to get the momentum back, but never-say-die Ferrer fought back and recovered the break at 2-4.
Things started to get really crazy when Tipsarevic served at 4-4. Trailing 15-40, the two-time quarterfinalist called for an immediate medical timeout to get his thigh wrapped. Clearly unscathed, he came right back out and won four consecutive points to hold. An unhappy Ferrer responded with a clutch hold at 4-5, complete with two shouts of "vamos" aimed directly at his opponent.
Two holds later a 'breaker had to decide the match. Because thrilling baseline exchanges had been the norm in this one, more than a few mini-breaks could have been expected. Instead, it all came down to just a single return point won, which went Ferrer's way when Tipsarevic netted a backhand on the eighth point. Ferrer closed it out on serve from there, capitalizing on his first match point at 6-4 by forcing Tipsarevic into another error.
"I enjoyed a lot playing this match with Janko; of course because I won," said Ferrer, who awaits either Novak Djokovic or Juan Martin Del Potro. "But it was a very emotional match; one of the best, emotional matches of my career."
"It's not maybe the quarterfinal they wanted to see, without Rafa being there," Tipsarevic admitted. "But I think David and me--and I'm not trying to over-exaggerate anything--played the best match of the tournament."
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I agree that it's the best match of the tournament, after watching a replay of it. Both players were eager to win and giving it their all. Tipsy was very aggressive with his shots and Ferrer was tenacious enough not to give up but kept fighting and finally got the win. Either one could be the winner of this match, it's just a few points that made the difference.
luckystar , 9/7/12 2:45 PM
Two fantastic QFs yesterday that were a privilege to witness.
#HashtagsFailMe
Conspirator , 9/7/12 2:46 PM
Sib... What about MTO?
zare , 9/7/12 5:57 PM
#ArmchairAthlete
Conspirator , 9/7/12 6:15 PM
tipsarevic took a time out at 4-4 15-40 in the 5th. he fell over at 4-1... but timing is everything...
Sib69 , 9/7/12 7:56 PM
Ferrer also took a MTO which, to me, looked like a way to disrupt Janko's momentum.
danica , 9/7/12 11:12 PM
I think that the number of players who would fake an MTO is very very small and I wouldn't include Tipsy or Ferrer on that list. That was an extremely physical match.
#Respect
Conspirator , 9/8/12 12:42 AM
Are mto's allowed in the middle of a game? I am not sure Tipsa's MTO was within the rules but I guess if the opponent does not object, then umpire wouldn't be strict. I think at Wimby last year Delpo took an MTO in the middle of a game and took a huge amount of time but as Rafa did not object, Delpo was not penalized.
holdserve , 9/8/12 5:47 AM
From what the commentators said on espn2 yesterday, this mto was within the rules. They were discussing it and debating a bit, but I think they did agree that Tipsy's mto was within the rules. The question they had was whether he was actually just cramping. You can't get treatment for cramping, it has to be an injury. So after Tipsy got taped up and came back playing well, the speculated about that.
I do recall when Delpo was hurt in that fourth round match at the 2011 Wimbledon. He even had to go off court. It happened after a nasty fall on the court. So he went off right in the middle of a game, but Rafa didn't object.
I am with Conspirator on this one. I believe that there is only a tiny number of players who would actually fake an injury. I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt.
I thought that maybe Tipsy had a delayed reaction to that nasty fall he took earlier in the match. The replay showing him grabbing his upper thigh after going for a shot. I didn't see Ferrer's mto. But I am certainly willing to give them both the benefit of the doubt given how tough and physical this match was from start to finish.
Nativenewyorker , 9/8/12 7:32 AM
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much as i'm not a fan of tipsarevic (especially after that medical time out...) i think he's right. that match had it all. and it was even better because i don't think anyone was expecting it to be that good. am glad ferrer won though. would not have been worth all that effort to have a djokovic/tipsarevic semi final...
Sib69 , 9/7/12 12:33 PM