David Ferrer avoided an upset, as the twenty-first seed came from a set down to defeat twenty year-old American qualifier Ernesto Escobedo 26 64 64 62 in the Australian Open second round.
This match always had the potential to be an upset when comparing the form of the two players.
The young American’s best results to date have come largely on the Challenger circuit, where good results in tournaments such as Monterrey, which he won, helped him move from just inside the Top 400 to inside the Top 150.
This season has seen him qualify by defeating in-form players such as Yuki Bhambri and Maximillian Marterer, before defeating Chennai runner-up Daniil Medvedev in the first round in four sets.
Ferrer had had a mixed start to 2017, earning a good win against Bernard Tomic in Brisbane, but suffering an early exit at the hands of Robin Haase in Auckland. Ferrer had dropped just seven games in dismissing the in-form wildcard Omar Jasika in the first round.
Escobedo got off to a fast start, holding serve nicely before breaking Ferrer in his first service game. Ferrer was really struggling to get his return game flowing, failing to put more than half his returns in play, and this resulted in comfortable holds for Escobedo and constant pressure on Ferrer, serving from behind already in the set. Escobedo’s pressure paid off in the final game too, as a second break ensured that the American would serve first in the second set.
Ferrer is not known as a fighter for nothing however, and finally made some inroads early in the second set. Some poor returning helped Escobedo escape his first service game, but an in-side-out forehand winner on break point in the second saw Ferrer break first in for a two-one lead. In a closely contested set, Ferrer could have broken again but was instead forced to save a break point when serving for the set.
The Spaniard then used all of his experience over the next set, breaking in Escobedo’s first service game, and surviving a number of deuce games in a tight set. Despite forcing a number of break points, Escobedo could not retrieve the break, and Ferrer took the lead by two sets to one.
The first games of the fourth saw Escobedo again broken early, and the young American faltered again late on, surrendering a second break of serve at two-four, allowing Ferrer to attempt to serve out the match with a double-break cushion.
Despite some brave pressure from Escobedo, who forced a break point in the game, Ferrer held firm, and moved into the third round.
He will face fellow seeded Spaniard Robert Bautista Agut.
