Auckland, New Zealand (Sports Network) - David Ferrer continued his quest for
a third straight Auckland championship with an easy 6-1, 6-2 victory over
Gael Monfils in semifinal play Thursday at the Heineken Open.
The top-seeded Ferrer, who won this event in 2007 and in each of the last two
years, needed just over 49 minutes to take down the Frenchman. Ferrer, who was
named the fourth seed in the upcoming Australian Open on Friday, has been
building on a successful 2012 when the Spaniard finished as the tour leader
in titles (7) and match victories (76). He was a quarterfinalist or better in
all four Grand Slams last season.
Ferrer's opponent on Saturday will be German Philipp Kohlschreiber, the second
seed who notched a 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) victory over American Sam Querrey in the
earlier match of this final Australian Open tune-up. Kohlschreiber won this
event in 2008.
It will be the 10th time these two opponents have faced each other, with
Ferrer winning six of the previous nine, including a quarterfinal victory in
this event last year.
The Sports Network