Tennis: The second coming of David

David Ferrer. Photo / Janna Dixon

It was a bit like Christmas for the kid who opens the biggest present under the tree and finds it's not the flash new bike he hoped for.

Yesterday's Heineken Open final could have been one of the best in recent memory; two world-class players near the top of their form slugging it out from the baseline.

Instead, it was all over in 69 disappointing minutes. David Ferrer beat a badly misfiring David Nalbandian 6-3 6-2 to claim his second Heineken Open and 10th career title.

The world No 7 and tournament top seed was barely pushed. He's metronomic at the best of times, returning ball after ball, but only needed to keep it in the court against the Argentinian.

He was under some early pressure, surviving three break points but, once he broke Nalbandian to take a decisive 5-3 first-set lead, raced through the rest of the match as quickly as he scuttles around the court.

Nalbandian's frustrations were palpable, and he chucked his racquet and muttered to himself as the errors mounted.

He had been in imperious form earlier in the week, having been broken only once on his way to the final, and was most people's favourite to take the title. He is widely regarded as one of the most talented players on tour and can make tennis look easy with his elegance and sweet timing.

But he disintegrated.

"He played better than me," Nalbandian said with a shrug of the shoulders. "I had some chances in the first set but didn't take it.

"I made the mistakes. On one break point, I missed an easy backhand down the line. If I had made that one, maybe the match would have changed.

"You have bad days sometimes - but it was a very good week for me."

Not as good as Ferrer's.

The Spaniard isn't the most fashionable player. He doesn't have weapons that can hurt opponents, like a big serve or devastating backhand, but beats players with athleticism, intensity and consistency.

He's forged a very good career out of it - yesterday's US$72,600 winner's cheque took him to the verge of US$10 million in earnings - and is one of the hardest players to beat on the circuit.

Nalbandian didn't have the answers yesterday but Ferrer knew he wasn't made to work as hard as he had anticipated.

"I think David doesn't have a good day," he said. "He plays bad in the second set. The first set was the key. Maybe in the second he lost his concentration. I played very consistent, very regular. I did my job.

Ferrer said his win yesterday was more special than his triumph in 2007, his first on hard court.

"Now I am four years older," he said. "More older and very special. The second time is more difficult. The first time is easy because you come without pressure. Four years after you won here is more special."

It sets him up well for this week's Australian Open, where he will meet 1996 Heineken Open finalist Jarkko Nieminen in the first round. He also hopes history repeats, because his triumph here in 2007 ushered in the best year of his career when he rose to No 4 in the world.

It's difficult to see him breaking into the top five again. They are playing at a level above the rest and Ferrer needs to improve on his one grand slam semifinal appearance to take a seat at tennis' top table.

It's also difficult to assess Nalbandian's chances in the Australian Open. On his form earlier in the week, he would prove a handful for anyone - even Lleyton Hewitt, whom Nalbandian meets in the first round.

Hewitt won the Kooyong Classic last night, beating France's Gael Monfils in the final in a fine dress rehearsal for the Aussie Open.

Ferrer's win topped a good day for the Spanish, with Tommy Robredo and Marcel Granollers claiming the doubles title, beating John Brunstrom of Sweden and Australia's Stephen Huss 6-4 7-6.

Finals aren't often the best match of the week but few would have anticipated such an anti-climatic finish to this year's Heineken Open.

Maybe Santa will be more generous next year.