Ferreira spoils the party

Wayne Ferreira spoilt Jim Courier's warm-up for the Legends Rock Dubai final against Stefan Edberg with a 6-4, 3-6 and 12-10 win over the American. The South African was not supposed to play, but graciously stepped in after Sergi Bruguera failed to make it for his match against Courier. Bruguera, the two-time French Open champion, was at a doctor getting his injured knee checked. Ferreira made most of the chance, starting with a service break in the opening game of the match that decided the fate of the first set. The stand-in player lost the second after dropping his serve in the fourth game, but prevailed in the match-deciding tie-break against the erratic Courier. Ferreira, though, will get nothing more than bragging rights for the win. He lost both his group games against Anders Jarryd and Edberg. Courier, on the other hand, has set his sights on the winner's cheque of US$54,000 (Dh200,000). "It is a dream match," said the four-time Grand Slam winner. "We have played a lot against each other and it will be great to meet in a final once again. "We have played in three Grand Slam finals and I have beaten him twice. He won the first at the US Open and I beat him in the next two at the Australian Open. "I am really looking forward to beating him in a final once again." arizvi@thenational.ae