Ferrer Ends Janowicz Run To Win First Masters 1000 Crown

© AFP/Getty ImagesDavid Ferrer won his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown.

World No. 5 David Ferrer won his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title on Sunday at the BNP Paribas Masters as he ended qualifier Jerzy Janowicz’s giant-killing run with a 6-4, 6-3 victory in Paris-Bercy.

The 30-year-old Ferrer is the first player outside the Top 4 to win a Masters 1000 title since Robin Soderling defeated Gael Monfils two years ago in the Paris final. Ferrer had previously finished runner-up to Rafael Nadal in the finals of the Internazional BNL d’Italia in Rome in 2010 and the 2011 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, and to Andy Murray at the 2011 Shanghai Rolex Masters. Going into the final, he had recorded the most match wins at Masters 1000 level (123) without winning a trophy.

Ferrer now goes into next week’s Barclays ATP World Tour Finals on the back of successive ATP World Tour titles, having triumphed last week at his hometown tournament, the Valencia Open 500 (d. Dolgopolov). The Spaniard has won an ATP World Tour-best seven titles this season and compiled a 72-14 match record.

"It was a dream for me to win here in Paris-Bercy," said Ferrer. "I had never won a Masters 1000 [title], and I took my chance, because it was not Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic. I played very good these [past] two weeks. It is very important because it was the best season of my career, and I will try to improve my game." 

Ferrer received 1,000 South African Airways ATP Rankings points and €479,000 in prize money, while Janowicz earned 600 ranking points and €234,865.

World No. 69 Janowicz missed the chance to break Ferrer in the ninth game and the Spaniard was quick to take advantage of his opportunity in the following game, claiming the first set as Janowicz overhit a forehand.

Breaks were exchanged at the start of the second set, with Janowicz mounting a short-lived fightback to lead 2-1. Ferrer broke decisively in the sixth game, having fended off two break point chances in the previous game, and went onto close out victory in 87 minutes.

The 21-year-old Janowicz had come through two qualifying matches before ousting five Top 20 players to reach the final (including two Top 10 wins over No. 3 Andy Murray and No. 9 Janko Tipsarevic). He was the first Polish player to contest an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final and the first qualifier to reach a final at this level since Guillermo Canas at the Sony Open Tennis in Miami in 2007.

Having started the year at No. 221 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, Janowicz is set to crack the Top 30 at around No. 26 on Monday.

"This was his fifth match; this was my eighth match. I was really tired. I was actually exhausted almost," admitted Janowicz. "I'm only human, and I'm still happy about this final. David played today really good tennis. It was good enough to beat me today. He's a really experienced guy. He didn't get nervous."

"I’ve got a lot of confidence right now. I learned if you have big heart and you want to do something amazing and you’re going to fight for this, you have a big chance to make it."