Tennis: Ferrer feeling the heat

David Ferrer in action during his singles semi-final tennis match against Santiago Giraldo. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Dream final might be stretching it, but the best two players will certainly contest today's Auckland Open men's decider.

Top seed David Ferrer made short work of Colombian Santiago Giraldo to book a meeting with sixth seed David Nalbandian, who was also untroubled in dispatching second seed Nicolas Almagro yesterday.

After a week in which tough three-setters were very much the order of things at the Heineken Open, the semifinals were over in a comparative blink of the eye.

Ferrer, especially, appreciated his short outing. The former champion has suffered three straight defeats to Nalbandian and will need his legs to be at their best if he is to halt that slide against the classy Argentinian.

"He's a top player so it will be a difficult match," Ferrer said. "I need to run a lot to beat him. I've played a lot of times against him and the last few times I have lost. But every season is different, it's a final so we shall see."

Ferrer still has the edge 6-5 in a rivalry dating back to 2002, although Nalbandian has been the dominant force away from Ferrer's favoured clay. On hard courts Nalbandian has a 4-2 lead, including four of the last five meetings between the pair.

After seeing off the erratic Almagro yesterday, Nalbandian had his game face firmly in place for the post-match press conference. Ferrer would be a tougher challenge, but he wasn't about to reveal how he would tackle the task.

"We will see tomorrow," he said.

Nalbandian's serene run in Auckland continued despite some kicking and screaming from Almagro.

The fiery Spaniard looked out of sorts from the off, mixing blistering ground-strokes with a rash of wild unforced errors. With the line judges turning in an improved - although far from faultless - performance the court-side signage copped most of Almagro's angst.

He called for treatment on his right ankle early in the first set and muttered away at a bandaged finger. The prospect of another undignified Auckland exit looming large.

As it transpired Almagro stuck to his task, although he couldn't have been accused of playing as if his life depended on the outcome.

The freedom with which he swung, however, made him dangerous.

After dropping the first set 6-4, Almagro lost the opening service game of the second on a disputed line call. That could have been his cue to exit stage left, instead he simply swung for the lines. That approach brought him break-back points in the fourth and six games but Nalbandian kept his composure, breaking Almagro again to take the second 6-2.

"Nicolas didn't play his best," Nalbandian admitted. "I just tried to keep him playing one more ball all the time. He did a lot of winners but also a lot of mistakes, so I think I did a good job, but nothing special."

Just keeping the ball in play won't do the job against the tireless, metronomic Ferrer, as Nalbandian knows.

Giraldo tried that approach for a set and a half and came off a distant second-best.

The promising Colombian enjoyed a brief resurgence late in the second set but he couldn't shake Ferrer, who broke him in the 11th game and then served out to love.

Ferrer has dropped just three service games in eight sets this week. Keeping that level of efficiency going would be the key to his chances of adding the 2011 title to the one he picked up in 2007.

"He receives really good," Ferrer said. "If I don't serve good I will have a lot of problems."

David Ferrer (1)Spain

Age: 28 Height: 1.75m
Weight: 73kg Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2000 Titles: 9
Round 1: Bye
Round 2: bt Tobias Kamke 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4
Quarter-finals: bt Philipp Kohlschrieber 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
Semifinals: bt Santiago Giraldo 6-3, 7-5

Head-to-head: Ferrer 6-5 Nalbandian

David Nalbandian (6)Argentina

Age: 29 Height: 1.80m
Weight: 79 kg Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 2000 Titles: 11
Round 1: bt Fabio Fognini 7-6 (3), 6-4
Round 2: bt Philipp Petzschner 6-3, 6-2
Quarter-finals: bt John Isner 6-4 7-6 (3)
Semifinals: bt Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-2

Finals from 1pm

Doubles
*2-Marcel Granollers (Spain)/Tommy Robredo (Spain) v Johan Brunstrom (Sweden)/Stephen Huss (Australia)

Singles
*1-David Ferrer (Spain) v 6-David Nalbandian (Argentina)