David Ferrer facts for kids

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Ferrer and the second or maternal family name is Ern.

Quick facts for kids
David Ferrer
Singles
Ferrer at the 2016 US Open
Country (sports)	Spain
Residence	Valencia, Spain
Born	(1982-04-02) 2 April 1982 (age 43) Xàbia, Alicante, Spain
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro	2000
Retired	2019
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Javier Piles (2000–2013) José Francisco Altur (2014) Francisco Fogués (2014–2019)
Prize money	US$31,483,911 11th all-time leader in earnings
Career record	734–377 (66.07%) (66.1%)
Career titles	27
Highest ranking	No. 3 (8 July 2013)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	SF (2011, 2013)
French Open	F (2013)
Wimbledon	QF (2012, 2013)
US Open	SF (2007, 2012)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	F (2007)
Olympic Games	3R (2012)
Doubles
Career record	77–113 (40.53%) (40.5%)
Career titles	2
Highest ranking	No. 42 (24 October 2005)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	3R (2005)
French Open	2R (2009)
Wimbledon	1R (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2018)
US Open	2R (2004, 2006)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	SF – 4th (2012)
Team competitions
Davis Cup	W (2008, 2009, 2011)
Hopman Cup	RR (2019)

David Ferrer Ern (born on April 2, 1982) is a Spanish former professional tennis player. He was known for his amazing fitness and fighting spirit on the court. David Ferrer won the Davis Cup three times with Spain. He won many tournaments at different levels of the ATP Tour. However, he never won a major tournament or the year-end championships.

Ferrer is one of the top earners in tennis history. He also holds the record for winning the most matches on the ATP Tour without winning a major Grand Slam. He became a professional player in 2000. Early in his career, he was known as a clay-court specialist. He won 13 of his 27 titles on clay. But he also did very well on all other types of courts. He reached the final of the 2013 French Open. He also made it to the semifinals of the Australian and US Open twice. He reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon twice. Ferrer was a key part of the Spanish Davis Cup team that won titles in 2008, 2009, and 2011. He won the 2012 Paris Masters. He also finished second in six other Masters tournaments and the 2007 Tennis Masters Cup. Many people consider him one of the best players never to win a Grand Slam. He first entered the top 10 rankings in 2006. His highest ranking was world No. 3 in July 2013. He retired from tennis in 2019. His last tournament was in his home city of Madrid.

David Ferrer's Tennis Journey

Early Life and Starting Tennis

David Ferrer was born in Xàbia, Spain. When he was 13, he moved to Gandia. Two years later, he moved to Barcelona to train at the Catalan Tennis Federation.

As a teenager, David once didn't practice hard enough. His coach, Javier Piles, locked him in a small, dark closet for hours. He only gave him bread and water. After this, David felt tired of tennis. He even went to work at a construction site for a week. But he soon returned to his coach, Javier Piles. He asked if he could keep playing tennis. Javier Piles coached David until 2013. David Ferrer has said that Piles was like a second father to him.

David became a professional tennis player in 2000. He finished that year as world No. 419. He won two smaller tournaments in Poland and Spain. In 2001, he won his first Challenger title in Sopot.

First Big Wins and Top Rankings

In 2002, David won his first ATP title in Bucharest. He also reached his first ATP final in Umag. All his wins that year on the ATP Tour were on clay courts. In 2003, a big moment was when he beat Andre Agassi at the Rome Masters. Agassi was the defending champion. David also played in all four Grand Slam tournaments for the first time. He reached the second round at the French Open and Wimbledon.

In 2005, David reached the semifinals in Miami. He beat top players like David Nalbandian and Juan Carlos Ferrero. He also won his first two ATP doubles titles. He finished 2005 ranked world No. 14.

David Ferrer serving during 2007 Basel

In 2006, David entered the top 10 ATP rankings for the first time. He reached the fourth round at the Australian Open. He also made it to the semifinals in Miami again. In July, he won his second ATP title in Stuttgart. He saved a match point and came back to win a five-hour final. He ended 2006 ranked world No. 14.

David started 2007 by winning the Auckland tournament. At the US Open, he was the 15th seed. He surprised everyone by beating Rafael Nadal in the fourth round. He then reached his first Grand Slam semifinal. There, he lost to Novak Djokovic. After the US Open, his ranking went up to world No. 8. He won another title in Tokyo. David qualified for the year-end Tennis Masters Cup. He had a perfect record in the group stage. He beat Andy Roddick in the semifinals. In the final, he lost to Roger Federer. He finished 2007 ranked world No. 5, his highest ranking at that time.

Grand Slam Finals and Major Achievements

Ferrer at the 2008 Pacific Life Open

In 2008, David reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. He also won his first ATP title of the year in Valencia. He saved three match points in the quarterfinals. He then won another title on grass in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. This was his first title on grass. He became only the second Spanish player to win a grass-court tournament since Rafael Nadal. At the US Open, he lost in the third round to a lower-ranked player.

In 2009, David reached the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships. He lost to Novak Djokovic. He also reached the final of the Barcelona Open. He lost to Rafael Nadal there. He helped Spain win the Davis Cup title that year. He won a tough five-set match.

In 2010, David reached his first Masters 1000 final in Rome. He lost to Rafael Nadal. He also reached the semifinals of the Madrid Open. He beat Andy Murray there. He finished 2010 ranked world No. 7.

Ferrer in round-robin action at 2011 ATP World Tour Finals

David started 2011 by winning the Auckland title. At the 2011 Australian Open, he reached the semifinals. He beat an injured Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals. This stopped Nadal from winning four Grand Slams in a row. David then lost to Andy Murray in the semifinal. His ranking rose to world No. 6. He won his second title of the year in Acapulco. He reached his second Masters 1000 final in Monte-Carlo. He lost to Rafael Nadal again. He also reached the Barcelona final, losing to Nadal for the second week in a row. In the Davis Cup final in December, David won his match against Juan Martín del Potro in five sets.

In 2012, David won his first tournament of the year in Auckland. He won his second title in Argentina. His third title came in Acapulco. He won his fourth title of the year in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. He reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon for the first time. He then won his fifth title of the year in Sweden. At the US Open, David reached his fourth Grand Slam semifinal. He lost to Novak Djokovic. He won his sixth title of the season in Valencia. David won his first Masters 1000 title in Paris. He beat Jerzy Janowicz in the final. This was his seventh ATP Tour title of the year, the most of any player that season.

Ferrer reaches his eighth consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal

David Ferrer at the 2013 US Open

In 2013, David successfully defended his Auckland title. At the Australian Open, he came back from two sets down to win his quarterfinal match. He then lost to Novak Djokovic in the semifinal. David became the top-ranked Spanish player for the first time. He won his second title of the year in Argentina. He reached the final of the Miami Masters. He lost to Andy Murray after having a championship point. At the French Open, David reached his first Grand Slam final. He did not lose a single set on his way to the final. He beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semifinal. In the final, he was defeated by Rafael Nadal. Even though he lost, he reached his career-high ranking of world No. 3 in July 2013. He reached another final in Stockholm. He also reached the final in Valencia. He made it to his third final in three weeks at the Paris Masters. He beat Rafael Nadal there, ending a nine-match losing streak against him. However, he lost to Novak Djokovic in the final. This was his seventh final loss in a row. At the end of 2013, David parted ways with his long-time coach, Javier Piles.

Later Career and Retirement

In 2014, David defended his title at the 2014 Copa Claro. This was his first title of the year. He reached the quarterfinals of the 2014 Australian Open. He beat Rafael Nadal on clay for the first time in 10 years at the Monte-Carlo Masters. He reached the semifinals of the 2014 Mutua Madrid Open. He also made it to the quarterfinals of the 2014 French Open. He lost to Rafael Nadal there. He lost in the second round of Wimbledon. This ended his streak of reaching 10 Grand Slam quarterfinals in a row. He reached the final of the 2014 Western & Southern Open. He lost to Roger Federer. He finished 2014 ranked No. 10.

Ferrer at the Australian Open

In 2015, David started strong by winning his 22nd ATP title in Qatar. He won two more titles back-to-back in Rio and Acapulco. He reached the semifinals of the Rome Masters. He also reached his fourth French Open quarterfinal. He lost to Andy Murray. He had to withdraw from Wimbledon due to an elbow injury. He won his 25th career title in Kuala Lumpur. He then won another title in Vienna. This meant he won all five finals he played in 2015.

In 2016, David reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 Australian Open. He lost to Andy Murray. He continued to play in tournaments but did not win any titles. He fell out of the top 20 rankings.

In 2017, David won his first tournament since October 2015 at the 2017 Swedish Open. He reached the semifinals of the Cincinnati Masters. In 2018, he played his final Grand Slam tournament at the US Open. He had to stop his first-round match against Rafael Nadal due to a calf injury.

On August 28, 2018, David Ferrer announced that 2019 would be his last year playing professional tennis. He planned to play in a few special tournaments. At the Miami Masters, he beat world No. 3 Alexander Zverev. This was his first win against a top 3 player in almost five years. David played his very last tournament at the Madrid Masters. He lost to Alexander Zverev, ending his amazing career. After retiring, David Ferrer became the new director of the Barcelona Open tennis tournament.

Playing Style and What Made Him Great

David Ferrer practices at the US Open.

David Ferrer was known for being a very tough, quick, and fit player. He won many matches because he was very consistent. He could keep the ball in play for a long time. He also had great fitness and foot speed. He was very determined. Even though he didn't hit the ball as hard as some other players, he could move his opponents around the court. This helped him win on all surfaces, especially clay and hard courts.

Tennis experts like Darren Cahill have said that David Ferrer was one of the best at returning serves. He was even compared to Andre Agassi, who was famous for his returns. Roger Federer also called Ferrer the best returner in men's tennis in 2007.

Off the court, David Ferrer was known as a humble and quiet person. He rarely caused any trouble during his career. People admired him for how tough and competitive he was on the court. Because of his speed and strong defense, many compared his playing style to former champion Lleyton Hewitt.

In 2016, the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) made a video about David Ferrer. It showed how long his career was and how he kept fighting. It highlighted his consistency and how well he did even when he was older. David Ferrer has won the most matches and tournaments of any player who has not won a Grand Slam. He also won the most Grand Slam matches without winning a major title. David said that his tennis hero when he was growing up was Sergi Bruguera.

Off the Court: His Life and Interests

David Ferrer is a fan of the Valencia CF football team. He also enjoys playing basketball.

On November 28, 2015, David Ferrer married his long-time girlfriend, Marta Tornel Nieto. They met in 2008 through David's coach at the time, Javier Piles. Marta has a degree in optometry and works at her family's eye care business. On May 4, 2018, David and Marta announced that their son, Leo, was born.

David loves to read. His favorite writers are Arturo Perez-Reverte and Ildefonso Falcones. His favorite book is "La Reina del Sur" (Queen of the South) by Perez-Reverte. He keeps every book he reads. David says he likes to read books that help him grow as a person, not just as a tennis player.

Famous Matches and Rivals

Ferrer vs. Murray

David Ferrer and Andy Murray played each other 20 times. Murray won 14 of those matches, and Ferrer won 6. Ferrer was better on clay courts, winning 4 out of 5 matches. Murray was better on hard courts, winning 12 out of 14. They played five times at Grand Slam tournaments, with Murray winning four of those.

Ferrer vs. Verdasco

David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco played 21 times. Ferrer won 14 matches, and Verdasco won 7. Ferrer had a better record on both clay and hard courts. They only played twice at Grand Slam tournaments, and Verdasco won both of those matches.

Ferrer vs. Lopez

David Ferrer and Feliciano López played 19 times. Ferrer won 11 matches, and Lopez won 8. Ferrer had a better record on clay courts. They played three times at the French Open, with Ferrer winning two of those.

Ferrer vs. Berdych

David Ferrer and Tomáš Berdych played 16 times, and they each won 8 matches. Berdych had a better record on clay, while Ferrer was better on hard courts. They played three times at Grand Slam tournaments, and Berdych won all three. Both Ferrer and Berdych are often called some of the best players who never won a Grand Slam.

Ferrer vs. Wawrinka

David Ferrer and Stanislas Wawrinka played 14 times, and they each won 7 matches. They had an even record on clay courts. Ferrer had a slightly better record on grass. They never played each other at a Grand Slam tournament.

Ferrer vs. Nishikori

David Ferrer and Kei Nishikori played 14 times. Nishikori won 10 matches, and Ferrer won 4. Their first match was at the 2008 US Open, which Nishikori won in a long five-set match. Nishikori won many of their later matches, especially in 2014. However, Ferrer ended his losing streak against Nishikori in 2015 by winning the final in Acapulco.

Career statistics

Grand Slam tournament performance timeline

**Key**
W	F	SF	QF	#R	RR	Q#	A	NH

(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)

Tournament	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	SR	W–L	Win %
Australian Open	A	1R	2R	1R	4R	4R	QF	3R	2R	SF	QF	SF	QF	4R	QF	3R	1R	0 / 16	41–16	72%
French Open	Q2	2R	2R	QF	3R	3R	QF	3R	3R	4R	SF	F	QF	QF	4R	2R	1R	0 / 16	44–16	73%
Wimbledon	A	2R	2R	1R	4R	2R	3R	3R	4R	4R	QF	QF	2R	A	2R	3R	1R	0 / 15	28–15	65%
US Open	A	1R	1R	3R	3R	SF	3R	2R	4R	4R	SF	QF	3R	3R	3R	1R	1R	0 / 16	32–16	67%
Win–loss	0–0	2–4	3–4	6–4	10–4	11–4	12–4	7–4	9–4	14–4	18–4	19–4	10–4	9–3	10–4	5–4	0–4	0 / 63	145–63	70%