By Robert Martin

Photo Credit: Michael Bradley/AFP/Getty Images

 

(January 14, 2012) He may be known as one of the best returners in the game, but it was the serve of World No. 5 David Ferrer that made the difference in a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Olivier Rochus. The one hour 36 minute match saw Ferrer join Onny Parun and Roy Emerson as the only players to win in Auckland three times.

The Spaniard had an up-and-down serving day, hitting only 46 percent of first serves, but his nine aces and 81 percent winning percentage on the first serve took some of the pressure off. He faced four break points, but came up with solid serves to save three of them as he converted half of his second serve points.

Rochus battled Ferrer, but could only limit the Spaniard to 42 percent of points on return in the effort that led to three breaks of serve. The Spaniard summed it up best after the match, saying, “I think in the second set, we played good tennis. I think the key was the difference with my first serve and his.”

Surprisingly, Ferrer had his best success when Rochus did get the first serve in, winning 48 percent of the points against only 32 percent on the second. With the Australian Open beginning on Monday, Ferrer’s draw looks favorable through the first three rounds, but could lead to a Serbian assault from Janko Tipsarevic followed by World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.