Tennis: David Ferrer makes strong start to farewell tour

David Ferrer’s farewell tour has started in the best possible fashion.

The four time champion progressed to the second round of the ASB Classic with a 6-2 6-1 defeat of Robin Haase.

Playing in the ASB Classic for the 14th and last time, Ferrer delighted a large crowd with a vintage display.

He gradually dismantled the Haase game, and by the end the Dutchman was a picture of frustration.

Ferrer served well and returned strongly, but it was his tennis intelligence that caught the eye.

He constructed the points beautifully, and constantly took time away from his opponent.

Ferrer started like a dream, rolling back the years to when he used to dominate this event.

He had lost the previous two encounters with Haase (both in 2017) and came into this match as the outsider, ranked nearly 80 places lower than the Dutchman. The world No 124 also gave up five years to Haase, but it didn’t seem to matter.

At 36 years old, he has still got the wheels. One drop shot from Haase was a beauty and looked a certain winner, but Ferrer bounded in like a leopard.

Ferrer made his name as the best defensive player in the sport, with his incredible lateral movement allied with keen anticipation, and gave reminders of that on Tuesday. Although he has lost some power in his ground strokes, he exhibited superb placement.

Haase struggled to get a foothold in the match and was broken three times in the first set, the third one sealing the set.

The next set followed a similar pattern. It was a blistering 34 degrees on court, but Ferrer looked in his element while Haase struggled.

The Dutchman couldn’t force a similar break opportunity on the Ferrer serve, but was broken three times when he stepped up to the line.

At 3-1 down in the second set, Haase let out a huge guttural roar of frustration, enough of scare some of the kids in the grandstand and scatter the swans in the nearby Auckland Domain.

But he couldn’t reset, and Ferrer converted his first match point, after a long rally, to win his 32nd match on Stanley Street.

He’ll face fourth seed and compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta in Wednesday’s second round.