Spain’s David Ferrer ruined most tennis’ fans week by upsetting top-seeded Rafael Nadal in the Aussie Open quarterfinals and now the seventh-seed looks to pull another upset against fourth-seed Andy Murray, a finalist in Melbourne last year. Murray is the -400 favorite with Ferrer at +275.
Ferrer’s stunning 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 over Nadal was bittersweet for Ferrer himself because he knew Nadal was nowhere near 100 percent healthy.
“It is not the way I wanted ,” he said. “I could see Rafael could not run. I just focused on my game. It’s not normal that you beat Rafael in straight sets. It is a victory … but not really a victory.”
However, Ferrer, who won the ATP title in Auckland, New Zealand, two weeks ago, remains unbeaten in 2011 and will take justifiable confidence into his match with Murray despite the fact that he lost to him in straight sets at the ATP World Finals in London in December.
“I know about Andy but every match is different,” he said.
Murray, meanwhile, ended Alexandr Dolgopolov’s excellent debut at Melbourne Park, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 with an impeccable defensive game. Certainly Murray has to be feeling fortunate that he’s not playing Nadal. Murray, 23, had major luck here last year when playing Nadal in the quarterfinals — his rival retiring hurt when two sets behind. Roger Federer went on to crush Murray, who is looking to become Britain’s first Grand Slam champion since Fred Perry in 1936, in the finals.
Murray has faced Ferrer five times and has lost three of those. But all three losses came on clay, with Murray winning both hard court matchups in straight sets, including a 6-2, 6-2 rout at the ATP World Finals in London last month.
“I know how to deal with playing deep into Grand Slam events now, how to get prepared for them mentally and physically,” Murray said. “It’s something that I’m a lot better at. I’m hitting the ball bigger than I was last year. You just try to become more consistent, have less weaknesses.”
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