Being in this tour for more than 19 years, he might not be the most successful, but for sure he is one of the most respected players on tour. He might not be the fan favourite like Roger or Rafa, but people do feel bad to see him lose. He is not the tallest player in the tour. Still, he can give the tallest players run for their money. He has always been like that.
Mostly underrated, Ferrer had a great forehand probably not the best but still better than the most and a rock-solid backhand which made him one of the best returners of the game. He had to consistently improve his speed, outplay the opponent with his shots and power, blame his height. It was a lot of hard work but Ferrer enjoyed doing it for 19 long years.
He still enjoyed considerable success in his long career. He has been inside the top 10 for years, has reached finals in French Open in 2013. Perhaps his greatest achievement came back in 2012 when he won his first and thus far only Masters 1000 title in Paris.
Leave the result but he should look back at his career with real pride for the way he survived the game for all these years, and his legendary work ethics is something he must pass on to the next generation. His work ethics never allowed him to settle easily even if it is for a point. He was a fighter who never gave up until the last moment. You hit him for a smash, he covers the ground and will hit a perfect passing shot and all you can do is watch it go past you. This was Ferrer at his prime when he was young.
In 2018, Though his efforts and mental strength were undimmed, his body failed to react to it more often and he started lacking the power behind his shots. His once tireless legs looked heavier with each passing week. Maybe, he himself recognized and for a player like him he must be frustrated to see him rank low. Thanks why he wanted to call it a day finally after entertaining us for 19 long years.
Ferrer will be remembered for how he was able to return the ball quick, striking those passing shots with ease, covering the entire court in seconds and most importantly, his work ethics and the sportsmanship.
Today, it was great to see Sacha asking the fans to get behind Ferrer when he was serving 0-40 down, before the last point of his career. Regardless of whom he played in his last match, I’m sure he would have got the same treatment because it’s Ferrer and he deserves it for giving it all to the sport, fighting like a warrior till the end.
Gracious, Ferru. The Tennis World will miss you and will always love you!
