By using major upsets highlighting the opening rounds of the 2013 Madrid Open, two-time tournament champion Rafael Nadal could face his toughest test on Friday in the quarterfinals when he squares off with compatriot David Ferrer.
Ferrer isn't only the fourth-ranked men's tennis player available anywhere, but a clay-court specialist who prefers the slower-playing spot.
While the 26-year-old full of clay, Nadal has owned the head-to-head matchup while using 31-year-old Ferrer over the years, winning 19-of-23 matchups seeing that 2004, it's not for ages been easy.
Similar to Nadal, Ferrer plays a relentless form of tennis and routinely displays his impressive fitness during the period of a match, especially with clay, where the rallies are more likely to last much longer than somewhere else.
Ten of Ferrer's 20 ATP career singles titles came on clay, including his new championship in Buenos Aires back in February.
Plus, Ferrer is playing strong tennis getting into Friday's quarterfinal. He needed three sets to find past the age-defying Tommy Haas at Thursday, but was excellent within the victory, winning 72 pct of his first-serve points and 45 percent involving his second-serve return elements.
Ferrer will need being sensational during his second-serve bring back points against Rafa to pull off the upset, but provided he continues to serve decisively, with pace and direction, he will be capable to at least keep Nadal at his heels half the time.
Consider this stat from Rafa's third-round conquer Mikhail Youzhny on This: Nadal won 10-of-15 second-serve profit points (66 percent) although just 15-of-35 first-serve profit points (42 percent).
Any time Rafa is firing at all cylinders again with Friday, Ferrer will likely ought to channel his inner Pete Sampras so that they can knock out Nadal in straight sets. But it won't require anything Ferrer isn't capable of to ensure that him to win an arrangement and force Rafa to help break a sweat for the first time this week.
In addition to the improving serve, Ferrer possesses the ft . speed to chase down balls in the clay and to block passing-shot attempts.
Despite his undersized 5'9" frame, Ferrer can be content to outwork his opponents, opting to keep the ball in play rather than attempt a premature safe bet. His persistent style with play will force Nadal to create his A-game, as he'll have to move in order to beat his Davis Glass teammate.
It would end up silly to predict Ferrer to upend Nadal in This town on Friday, but there isn't a doubt that the underrated Spaniard contains the necessary weapons in his arsenal to push Rafa harder than everyone else has or will in Madrid this may occasionally.
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