Balcells Upsets Bruguera In Barcelona

Spaniard Joan Balcells won just one ATP World Tour title during his nine year career in professional tennis, but at the fifth annual Champions Cup in Barcelona on Friday the former World Number 57 put himself within shooting distance of qualifying for his first ever ATP Champions Tour final after defeating two-time French Open Champion Sergi Bruguera 6-2, 6-4.

Balcells went into the match with a 2-1 losing record against his compatriot, but on this occasion the 34 year-old’s unorthodox serve-and-volley style was enough to disrupt Bruguera’s baseline rhythm, causing him to make a crippling number of unforced errors.

Balcells, who is making his first ever appearance at an ATP Champions Tour event this week in Barcelona, said after his win that he believed it was his aggressive tactics that won him the match.

“I served well today," he said. “I hit some big serves and I was able to play my serve and volley style and it worked really well against Sergi. I’ve been training a lot in the last few months since I knew I was going to play here. I’ve been practicing, running a lot and mountain-bike riding just to get fit in preparation for this week, and it seems like it has paid off. I’ve played many times at the Real Club de Tennis before and to be able to come and play on the Centre Court again is a nice feeling. I am enjoying it so much.”

Elsewhere in Barcelona on Friday, Bogota finalist Wayne Ferreira defeated 1986 Roland Garros finalist Mikael Pernfors 6-3, 6-3, moving the South African into second place in Group A.

“I played very well today,” said Ferreira. “Although I used to say clay was my worst surface, since I started playing on the ATP Champions Tour I’ve actually enjoyed playing on the clay a lot more. Because it’s a little bit slower than the other surfaces it gives me more time to prepare for my shots and it’s much easier on my body and that gives me more opportunities to win points.”

Ferreira will now play off against his Bogota vanquisher Thomas Enqvist on Saturday to determine which of the two will compete in Sunday’s Champions final. Enqvist is leading Group B by virtue of being the top seed in the group and therefore receiving a bye in his first round robin match against Swede Pernfors. Group A’s top seed Goran Ivanisevic also received a bye in his first round robin match over Balcells, meaning that he goes into his day two match against Bruguera at the head of the Group.

Barcelona is the fourth of ten stops on the ATP Champions Tour, which culminates with a season-ending AEGON Masters event at London’s Royal Albert Hall from 30th November to 5th December. The season began in February in Delray Beach, where Pat Rafter beat John McEnroe in the final. At the second event in Zurich in March, Stefan Edberg overcame Goran Ivanisevic in three sets. The most recent event saw Thomas Enqvist beat Wayne Ferreira in the final in Bogotá, having swept through the tournament without the loss of a set. After Barcelona, the tour will also call in at Sao Paulo, Brasil, followed by events in Graz (Austria), Algarve (Portugal), Paris (France) and London (UK).

Tickets for the ATP Champions Tour, as well as those for the remaining days of the Barcelona Open BancSabadell are now on sale via the Servicaixa network, online at www.servicaixa.com or by telephone on + 34 93 326 89 18.