Ferrer's an absolutely fantastic and hardworking guy, who puts everything into every point, but I don't feel at all on clay he's somebody that Rafa would worry about at all. He's tough for sure to breakdown but I don't think he's got the style that could beat Rafa on clay. I know nobody really can beat Rafa on clay, but I feel a player wit hthe best chance is somebody who takes it to Rafa and plays aggressively- as rallying from the baseline there's only Rafa who can come out on top.
If you watched their match at MC...Ferrer did took it to Rafa in the second set, there were moments in the match were Nadal looked clueless......Ferrer does play with agression especially with his flat forehand plus he has superb defensive skills. The problem is Nadal's forehand bounce to high for the little guy...taking energy away as the match progress.
Yeah saw all that and during that spell Ferrer was for sure unplayable- but there's a difference in playing like that for 5-7 games and maintaining it for 3 sets- maybe 2-3 hours vs Rafa. Ferrer simply showed there that his mentality let him down- if he couldn't take that 2nd set, playing as he did, having the amount of chances he did- then I fear for him in all their upcoming matches this season on clay. He took it to him for 5-7 games but when the going got tough, his level dropped and he went back to his rallying it out with Rafa- and thats never going to get the job done.
Hi Chris,
I was out this afternoon so missed even the scoreboard so I'm pleased at the outcome 
. But I still disagree with you about the MC match. I thought, and I think will happen tomorrow that Nadal is just too good 
. Agree, though, that rallying it out 
with Rafa is never going to get the job done .
Hi Euroka, I didn't see either of the matches either, but seems clear Rafa is right on his game as usual on this surface
About Monte Carlo- the way I saw that match and particularly the 2nd set was that Ferrer played at his highest possible level in that 2nd set- but when it came right down to it he just couldn't maintain that and Rafa was able to wear him down in the rallies and get the better of them all from the baseline
Rallying vs Rafa is playing perfectly into his hands- for me you've got to attack him and take his time away to have any chance vs him- as if you take him on at his game on this surface then you're absolutely dead meat 100 times out of 100
