The 25-year-old had ended 2003 in fine
fettle after picking up his first Grand
Slam title at the French Open, reaching
the final of the US Open and becoming
world number one.
But last season he struggled to recover
full fitness after a bout of chicken
pox and then picked up wrist and knee
injuries as his ranking slid.
His misery was compounded when he was
replaced by Rafael Nadal for Spain's
Davis Cup victory over the United States
in December.
After a disappointing start to this
year, Ferrero showed glimpses of his
best in the clay-court season, reaching
the final in Barcelona and the semi-finals
at the Monte Carlo Masters.
However, Ferrero is not a big fan of
the grass - although he is not as averse
to it as many of his compatriots.
The Spaniard's best performance came
in 2003 when he reached the fourth round,
losing to France's Sebastien Grosjean.
