Paris, June 08: Juan Carlos Ferrero has a second chance to fulfil a childhood dream in the French Open final on Sunday. The world number three first visited Roland Garros as a 12-year-old and decided then that he would one day lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires.

In his four visits as a professional, he has never failed to reach the semi-finals and is now in his second straight final.
Last year, against Albert Costa, he struggled with an ankle injury and the pressure of the occasion. This time, the 22-year-old has no such problems and goes into the final as a strong favourite against a man who is playing in the tournament for the first time.
Martin Verkerk, the first Dutchman to appear in the French Open final, described his achievement as "a little bit of a joke". But he has already proved that he is a player to be taken seriously on the red clay of Roland Garros.
In successive rounds the unseeded 24-year-old has beaten Australian Open finalist Rainer Schuettler, former champion Carlos Moya and Guillermo Coria, one of the favourites for the title. And Verkerk believes he is ready to cause one more upset.



"I can beat Moya, I can beat Coria, why should I not beat Ferrero?" he said. "I have one big thing with me, on a big occasion with the crowd and everything, I don't feel any pressure or nerves or anything."



Verkerk's serve is his main weapon but though he is no clay-court specialist, his groundstrokes have also proved deadly. But Ferrero says he is ready to do what Coria and Moya were unable to.



"I've always wanted to win here - it's one of my dreams," he said. "I have to be able to win over a giant and a very good player in order to do it.



"It's difficult to return his serve, but I have the experience needed to win this title. I've played in one of the finals. I've played with people who have strong serves.



"Clay is not his surface, he's just playing unbelievably well."


Bureau Report