Costa ends career with defeat to Ferrero

Former French Open champion Albert Costa bowed out of professional tennis on Thursday with a 6-1, 5-7, 7-5 defeat to fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in the third round of the Barcelona Open.

After a one-sided first set Costa battled back to level the match but Ferrero gained the vital break in the 11th game of the decider and served out for victory.

The 30-year-old Costa, who received a standing ovation, won 12 career titles, beating Ferrero to win the French Open title in 2002.

He also helped Spain to win the Davis Cup for the first time in its history in 2000.

Third seed Guillermo Coria double-faulted his way out of the Open as he was hammered 6-2, 6-0 by Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, the world number 57, in the third round.

The Argentine double-faulted 14 times and won just six points in the second set as he was beaten in just 51 minutes.

The former French Open runner-up served 23 double faults in one match in Monte Carlo last week.

In the quarter-finals, Almagro will take on Ferrero.

Later on Thursday, top seed Rafael Nadal will look to extend his winning streak on clay to 44 matches when he plays Spanish qualifier Ivan Navarro-Pastor.