 | Born: 15/9/71 Nationality: South African Seeded: 31 World ranking: 31 Australian Open best:
Semi-finals (2003, 1992) Recent record:
2003: Semi-finals
2002: Quarter-finals
2001: 3rd round |
Ferreira is enjoying an unexpected renaissance in what must be the final years of his career. He reached his first Grand Slam semi-final in more than 11 years in Australia a year ago and hovered around the top 10 in the ATP Champions Race for much of the season until a late slump.
The 31-year-old reached the semi-finals in Sydney, the quarter-finals at the Hamburg Masters, and in July beat Lleyton Hewitt in the final in Los Angeles.
Famed for his often belligerent fighting spirit, and with a forehand that still packs a punch, Ferreira should be a threat at the Australian Open.
The South African will be competing in his 53rd consecutive Grand Slam, which has only been bettered by Stefan Edberg's unbeaten streak of 54 from 1983 to 1996.
It is a mark of how long he has been at the top of the game that when he reached the Australian Open semis in 1992, he beat Mark Woodforde, David Wheaton and John McEnroe before losing to Edberg.
MMIX
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