Lucas Pouille and David Ferrer took to the main court on Sunday night as the last spot in round four was up for grabs. The winner would face Gilles Simon. The 22-year old Frenchman stunned the crowd as he defeated Ferrer 6-7(1) 7-6 (4) 7-5 in 2 hours 45 minutes.
Ferrer comes out on top in tiebreaker
David Ferrer started his opening service game slowly, fending off two break points from 15-40, before failing to serve it out at Adv-40. The third break point of game came and went with Ferrer hanging on in. He managed to save another break point before holding.
In the following game, Ferrer had his first break points of the set at 15-40 and he managed to break the 22-year old and go 1-3 up. Ferrer consolidated his break for 1-4. Pouille finally held his first service game of the match to go to 2-4. With Ferrer serving, Pouille came from 40-0 down, won five points in a row and broke the 33-year old to get back on serve.
With both players struggling to hold their serve, the Spaniard carved out break point opportunities 0-40, but the Frenchman rallied and won three straight points to stay in the game. The former French Open finalist had his fourth chance to close out the game, but Pouille saved his fourth break point of the game and went on to hold with an overhead smash for 4-4.
At 5-4, the first set point came at advantage, but Pouille showed his fighting spirit, saved it and held for 5-5. Both players held their next service game and the opening set went to a tiebreaker. David Ferrer shown his experience and ran away with the tiebreak 1-7 to go up a set on Pouille.
Pouille sends second set to tiebreaker and forces a decider
Lucas Pouille got the second set underway by holding. On the Ferrer serve, the Frenchman ran away to a 0-40 lead and Ferrer responded by saving two of those breaks, but on the third, the Frenchman broke and got off to a 2-0 lead. In the next game, Pouille double-faulted and gave the break straight back to the veteran, who consolidated and leveled at 2-2. The following two service games were held. With the set in full swing more break chances came around, this time for Ferrer 15-40.
The 26-time ATP titlist couldn't break on his first time of asking, but on his second break point he took his chances and went 3-4 up. The youngster never showed signs of giving up, and in the next game broke to love as the Spaniards frustrations were starting to show. Both players held their next two service games and just like the first set, the second went to a breaker. Pouille took the breaker 7-4 to force a decider. The mini break came at the end, winning two points on the Ferrer serve 5-4 up.
Pouille stuns Ferrer and wins the match
At the start of the set, Ferrer was put under pressure from the off, struggling to serve and having to save two break points. The first one was saved, but on the Frenchman's second he couldn't do anything and Pouille broke. With both players failing to consolidate their breaks throughout the match, Ferrer bounced straight back and broke for 1-1.
Once again, the player who had broken in the previous game failed to hold their serve and yet again, Pouille struck a telling blow hitting a forehand winner down the line to break again. This time he managed to consolidate his break and took charge going 3-1 up in the decider.
A couple of games later at 4-3, the 2013 runner-up battled through a lengthy game to set up break point. The Spaniard hit an aggressive return winner and the emotions came on show, screaming and cheering up the crowd. He consolidated for 4-5 and the set seemed to be switching momentum at this point.
In the crucial game, Ferrer battled his way to match point, but Pouille hit an unreturnable serve and continued to fight on in the match, holding for 5-5. The set was boiling down nicely and it seemed like the third set was going to a breaker until Pouille stayed in touch with Ferrer in a long service game to set up break point at advantage. This was the vital break as the 22-year old went 6-5 up serving for the match.
Pouille almost seemed to gift the break back until he fought to save two break points in a vital game. The man from the North of France found himself at match point 6-5, adv-40. The youngster managed to close the match out and score an upset beating the Spaniard more than 10 years his senior 6-7(1) 7-6 (4) 7-5 to book his spot in the fourth round of a masters 1000 for the first time since his breakthrough at the Paris Indoors Masters in 2014. He will face compatriot Gilles Simon for a place in the quarterfinals.
Stats
Pouille hit eight aces and six double-faults. The Frenchman won 67 percent on his first serves and only 41 percent on his second serve. He saved 11 out of 17 break point chances (64 percent) and took half of his break points. He won a total of 49 percent points.
David Ferrer hit two aces and six double-faults, the Spaniard won 66 percent points on first serve and 40 percent on second. He saved 40 percent break points, but took only 35 percent of breaks (6 out of 17). He won 50 percent total points.