David Ferrer closed in on a place at the ATP World Tour Finals by beating Steve Johnson in three sets to win the Erste Bank Open on Sunday.
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– Kubot and Melo recovered from a set and 2-4 deficit to beat second seeds Jamie Murray and John Peers.
The top-seeded Spaniard, who also won in Doha, Rio de Janeiro, Acapulco, and Kuala Lumpur, lost the opening set before fighting back to seal a close win against the 47th-ranked American.
“I am in a good position for (ATP World Tour Finals in), but I have yet to qualify”.
There was more of the same in the second set, with the first three games going against serve, as Johnson twice and Ferrer once were broken.
The American said he looked back at “an wonderful week” and acknowledged that Ferrer deserved the win as “he played fantastic all week”.
2014 Vienna finalist Ferrer said that he has put London qualification out of mind and must think only of his next match. Of course I’m still not qualified for London but I took a big step today.
The second seed hit 23 aces but still lost 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to Steve Johnson of the United States in a gruelling two and three-quarter hour duel.
But neither Anderson nor Karlovic will be joining Ferrer and Monfils in the semis.
“It’s been an unbelievable season, winning five titles and it’s great to be playing well”, Ferrer said. “I’m pleased I went out there and executed. The most important thing was that I played well”, added the Spaniard.
Gulbis, who now stands outside the world top 100 after riding a career ranking rollercoaster, has rededicated himself to training after reuniting with Vienna-based coach Gunther Bresnik. I’m glad they got [ATP World Tour] 500-level status, because they really do deserve it as an indoor tournament.
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The 33-year-old Spanish champion set up three match points in the third set with his seventh ace after a break in the previous game and converted on his first opportunity.
