ABU DHABI // David Ferrer described himself, in one word, as a "fighter" before his match against Tomas Berdych at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. It was an unnecessarily limiting description, especially on the evidence of his bossing in a 6-2, 6-4 win.
This was a command performance from last year's runner-up, Ferrer the absolute master of his domain at the back of the court, crisp and ruthless over the majority of 84 minutes. It was so smooth he even surprised himself, having holidayed in Africa since his last competitive outing.
"It felt good," he said. "I played a very good match and I was surprised because it was a long time without playing a competitive match so I can be happy with what I did."
Ferrer has always been one of the circuit's more durable hitters, able to stretch out rallies, control them or work his way into them when needed. The service of the six foot 5 ins Berdych is not as easy to anticipate or return as Ferrer made it out here; it was not until the seventh game of the second set that the Czech managed to serve out a game to love.
From the very first game of the match, Ferrer worked Berdych around the court, power, precision and great control over the depth of his groundstrokes. He was ruthless too; in each of Berdych's first three service games, he held one break point and he made each count.
In just over half an hour he was 5-0 up, Berdych finding no traction whatsoever on Ferrer's slower but more accurate and reliable serve. At that point, it was not only the gap between tennis' top four and the rest that looked big, because the gulf between the fifth-ranked Ferrer and the sixth-ranked Berdych was looking pretty wide as well.
Berdych clawed back some semblance of balance, saving three set points on Ferrer's serve and breaking in the sixth game to at least get his name on the board. He began moving better thereafter once his serve began to find its range.
But after Ferrer had wrapped up the first set, it was difficult to see a way back for Berdych. The harder he served, the better Ferrer pounced on it. The Spaniard had an early opportunity in the second but wasted two break points in Berdych's opening service game.
The resistance was not to last. Ferrer broke through by breaking in the fifth game and though Berdych saved two match points, Ferrer zipped the last of his many winners down the line to seal it and set up a semi-final today with world No 1 Novak Djokovic.
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
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Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
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The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
