ABU DHABI // <a href="gopher://topicL3RoZW5hdGlvbmFsL1Blb3BsZS9TcG9ydCBzdGFycy9UZW5uaXMgcGxheWVycy9EYXZpZCBGZXJyZXI=" inlink="topic::L3RoZW5hdGlvbmFsL1Blb3BsZS9TcG9ydCBzdGFycy9UZW5uaXMgcGxheWVycy9EYXZpZCBGZXJyZXI=">David Ferrer</a> withstood <a href="gopher://topicL3RoZW5hdGlvbmFsL1Blb3BsZS9TcG9ydCBzdGFycy9UZW5uaXMgcGxheWVycy9Kby1XaWxmcmllZCBUc29uZ2E=" inlink="topic::L3RoZW5hdGlvbmFsL1Blb3BsZS9TcG9ydCBzdGFycy9UZW5uaXMgcGxheWVycy9Kby1XaWxmcmllZCBUc29uZ2E=">Jo-Wilfried Tsonga</a>'s big serve and first-set win to record a 2-6, 7-6, 6-2 victory in the quarter-finals of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship today. Ferrer tomorrow meets Spanish countryman <a href="gopher://topicL3RoZW5hdGlvbmFsL1Blb3BsZS9TcG9ydCBzdGFycy9UZW5uaXMgcGxheWVycy9SYWZhZWwgTmFkYWw=" inlink="topic::L3RoZW5hdGlvbmFsL1Blb3BsZS9TcG9ydCBzdGFycy9UZW5uaXMgcGxheWVycy9SYWZhZWwgTmFkYWw=">Rafael Nadal</a> in the semi-finals. Ferrer, known as a clay-court specialist, seemed to take advantage of his superior conditioning on the hard court of the International Tennis Complex at Zayed Sports City to wear down his French opponent, who was regularly pounding serves in excess of 200kph, topping out at 211kph. Ferrer won the tiebreak at 7-5, after earlier being down a break in the second set. "I was just a bit tired in the third set," Tsonga said. "It was difficult because David is a very good player and in good shape, and after two hours and 15 minutes it's difficult to run like him. I played well, a good match. I did some good things, but I lost this one." He said Ferrer's superb conditioning and gritty demeanor were decisive. "It's not really about the quality of his game but it's about his condition," Tsonga said. "He's running everywhere. You put the ball in the court and he is running a lot, and that's why it's a fight against him. If you win the first set, you need to close it in the second." Ferrer broke Tsonga in the sixth game at the final set with a fine forehand winner down the line, and Tsonga sagged visibly. The Frenchman had 11 aces in the first two sets but managed only one in the third set. poberjuerge@thenational.ae Follow <strong>The National Sport </strong> on & Paul Oberjeurge on