Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, Spain

[CR8] David Ferrer (ESP) vs. [CR25] Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)

Kohlschreiber has enough game to be amongst the top ten; despite his talent, he continues to reside one to two levels below. Perhaps he does not like being in the spotlight. There are so many factors that go into winning consistently on tour, to pick one factor and use that as the reason may be folly.  However, there is strong evidence that shows that a confident player will always be successful. Does that mean they will win every match? No, but it means they will win more often. Simply going on court and doing enough may be all some players desire; yet, the competitor in me knows that’s not the case.  If a player is consistently unable to execute their game plan, there is a reason.

The negative impact of anxiety on one’s game cannot be underestimated.  Performance anxiety can be a factor in the discrepancy between one’s performance on the practice courts versus one’s performance during live matches. Kohlschreiber is just one of many talented players who have been unable to get to the next level and it points out just how good the top ten players are; especially those who have consistently been in the top ten for years. Ferrer is no stranger to the upper echelon, and once again, he proved why he has been so consistent throughout his career.  He is persistent and will chase down every ball and fight for every point, no matter the score.  When he loses, you know that you were the better player that day because Ferrer never quits in a match. Today he won 6-3, 7-6(5) and fought really hard in the second set to get the straight sets victory.