Tennis: Ferrero confident he can recapture former glories

Four years ago, to nobody's great concern, Juan Carlos Ferrero met a young Swiss on court six at Auckland's Stanley St.

Within three years, both Ferrero and his opponent Roger Federer had enjoyed the heights of being world No 1.

Of course, Federer is No 1 now, and doesn't look like moving anywhere fast, but in that first-round match Fererro won in straight sets on his way to the quarter-finals.

Yesterday, after he'd arrived in the country from Brazil at 4.30am and was on the practice court by 11am, Ferrero couldn't escape the obvious comparisons.

The 11-time ATP tour winner - including the 2003 French Open - had a disrupted 2003 while Federer went from strength to strongest.

"Why not?" Ferrero said when asked if he can once again challenge Federer for the No 1 spot.

"Last year I beat him in one tournament in Hong Kong and he was playing very good as well."

It would appear geography or chronology aren't Ferrero's strong suits. The last time he beat Federer was in Madrid in 2003.

"If I'm 100 per cent I can give him a good match. It's not normal to win every week like he is. It's difficult, physically and mentally."

Ferrero is hoping 2005 is a comeback year after slipping out of the top 10 for the first time since 2001. A broken rib and chickenpox saw Ferrero miss five months of action, the main reason his ranking now stands at 31.

The speed freak - Ferrero is friends with Spanish formula one ace Fernando Alonso - aims to make the Heineken Open a catalyst for another climb.

"The last time I came here I made the quarters. This time, after the last year I want to start really strong," said Ferrero, who will meet a qualifier in the first round.

Other big names weren't so lucky with the draw. Hard-hitting Chilean Fernando Gonzalez will meet dangerous wild card James Blake of America. But the feature match will be a repeat of last year's final between third seed Dominik Hrbaty and Spanish tyro Rafael Nadal. Top seed Guillermo Coria plays 1999 Heineken Open winner Sjeng Schalken. Kiwis GD Jones and Mark Nielsen face Mariano Zabaleta and Potito Starace.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY