The Vienna title is coming down to David Ferrer and Steve Johnson on Sunday. In Moscow, the two men left standing are top two seeds Marin Cilic and Roberto Bautista Agut.
Erste Bank Open: (1) David Ferrer vs. Steve Johnson
Johnson will be competing in his first career ATP final when he takes the court against Ferrer on Sunday in Valencia. Less importantly, the American is also potentially playing for 2016 Australian Open seeding. He will climb to at least No. 33 in the world and will surge into the top 30 if he upsets Ferrer. Johnson owns more than half of his ATP-level match victories in 2015 (33 of 59) and so far this week he has taken out Alexandr Dolgopolov, Jerzy Janowicz, Kevin Anderson, and Ernests Gulbis.
Ferrer, on the other hand, is through to his 51st career ATP title match and currently owns a 25-25 record. The eighth-ranked Spaniard recently triumphed in Kuala Lumpur and he is on the brink of lifting another winner’s trophy following Vienna defeats of Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Fabio Fognini, and Gael Monfils. An in-form Ferrer has won eight consecutive sets since dropping his opener to Ramos-Vinolas. All factors–not the least of which is experience–point to a convincing win for the No. 1 seed.
Pick: Ferrer in 2 with no tiebreakers
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Kremlin Cup: (1) Marin Cilic vs. (2) Roberto Bautista Agut
This will be the second consecutive Moscow final between Cilic and Bautista Agut. Last year’s championship match, which remains their only previous encounter to date, was dominated by Cilic 6-4, 6-4. Speaking of domination, the top-seeded Croat bounced back from a three-setter against Denis Istomin in this week’s opener to crush Andrey Kuznetsov 6-2, 6-1 and Evgeny Donskoy 6-3, 6-1. Despite not winning a match until April because of a shoulder injury, Cilic is 32-17 for the year and registers at 14th in the world.
Bautista Agut has cooled off slightly on the heels of a breakout 2014 campaign. Still, the Spaniard is a decent 27th in the rankings and will be seeded Down Under in January. He has dug out of a brief slump with consecutive stellar performances in Russia. Bautista Agut reached the St. Petersburg semis and so far in Moscow has disposed of Marsel Ilhan, Lucas Pouille, and Philipp Kohlschreiber all in straight sets. On this surface, a confident Cilic should once again blast Bautista Agut off the court while rolling to his 14th career ATP title.
Pick: Cilic in 2
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Ferrer in 3 Cilic in 2
Ferrer Vs Johnson about to start, Johnson to serve first.
Ferrer misses a forehand inside out, Johnson with a backhand winner 30-0 Johnson misses a slice backhand wide, double fault by Johnson 30-30 another double fault by Johnson and Ferrer has a Bp but johnson saves it with a serve, Johnson serves an ace but its called let, Johnson moves to adv with a forhand winner and Johnson holds when Ferrer misses a forehand long.
Johnson with a forehand winner gets to 0-15 a double fault by Ferrer and its 0-30 another forehand winner and Johnson has 3 Bps Ferrer saves the first when Johnson misses a backhand long he saves the 2nd when he forces Johnson to net a forehand on the run but Ferrer misses a forehand and Johnson has the early break and a 2-0 lead.
Johnson holds to 15 and races to a 3-0 lead.
wow
Johnson sprays a wild forehand and Ferrer breaks for 3-4. He should be off to the races now.
Johnson 4-2. Johnson has never beaten a top 10 player before he is 0-9 against them.
Johnson barely misses a backhand and it’s BP Ferrer
15 all Ferrer misses a forehand wide and Johnson has 30-15 on serve, Johnson nets a forehand 30-30 Johnson has adv when comes to the net and forces Ferrer to miss a forehand wide, Johnson goes to the drop shot Ferrer chases it down and hits a winner Johson misses a backhand and Ferrer has bp, and he breaks when Johnson misses a forehand wide.
Ferrer misses a forehand 015 but Ferrer wins the next 3 points, Ferrer holds to 30 and its 4 all.
Johnson has 40-0 on serve but Ferrer wins the next 3 points and its deuce, but Johnson with 2 first serves holds and forces Ferrer to serve to stay in the set.
Johnson is putting up a very credible fight. Sticking with his game plan and refusing to back off. Mmmmmm – this might not be as easy for Ferrer as most people were anticipating.
Johnson comes to the net and forces Ferrer to miss a backhand, Johnson goes for a high risk forehand and misses, johnson hits a down the line forehand and comes to the net again forcing Ferrer to net his reply, Steve Johnson in his first ATP final has 2 set points on the Ferrer serve, he needs just the one as he converts with a big forehand 6-4 Johnson.
huge FH by Steve on SP
Johnson 13 winners, Ferrer 5
Ricky, what was that y ou were saying – no way Johnson will take a set?
correct. you thought there was?
Actually I said yesterday I haven’t seen enough of Johnson to have an opinion!
nevermind it was out
Johnson had 13 winners and 20 unforced errors in the first set but he was the one who was taking chances and making things happen.
we have a hold! Johnson 2-1
Ferrer wins A 23 shot rally and has a Bp to break in the 1st game of 2nd set and he does break to 30.
brain cramp by Johnson
Johnson breaks Ferrer AGAIN
Ferrer had 30-15 but soon with a double fault Johnson has a break back point and he breaks back when Ferrer misses long.
Ferrer with 2 bps on the Johnson serve but Johnson saves both, Ferrer now has a 3rd bp of the game and this time he breaks.
Johnson with a forehand down the line winner to start the game but he wins just 1 more point in the game as Ferrer holds to 30.
Johnson’s serve going southwards.
Johnson win the first point on ferrer serve Ferrer wins the next 2 an outstanding volley by Johnson makes it 30 all but Ferrer is in no mood to let his lead slip and he wins the next 2 points to hold.
It’s only a matter of time before Ferrer lifts the trophy. Johnson hasn’t got another gear.
Exactly. But with a bit more experience at this level he’s going to do some damage in the early rounds. Higher ranked players won’t be pleased to be drawn against him.