Ferrero started the year with early losses in the second round of the Heineken Open to Philipp Kohlschreiber 4–6, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), and the first rounds of the Brisbane International Florent Serra 3–6, 6–7(3–7), and the Australian Open to Fabrice Santoro 3–6, 2–6, 7–6(7–5), 2–6 which made him drop out of the top 100 at No. 101 for the first time in almost 10 years. He, however, reached the quarterfinals of the Brasil Open, losing to Thomaz Bellucci, 6–7(5–7), 6–1, 3–6, and of the Copa Telmex, retiring againstDavid Nalbandian, 3–6, 0–3 with a right leg injury. In March, Ferrero captured his first singles title since 2003 by defeating fifth–seeded Florent Serra, 6–4, 7–5, in the final of the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca, Morocco. He, however, followed up with early losses in rest of the clay–court season. He lost in first round of the Barcelona Open to Igor Kunitsyn 5–7, 6–7(3–7), failed to qualify for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, and suffered second–round losses in the Estoril Open to Nikolay Davydenko 5–7, 2–6, Madrid Open to Fernando Verdasco 3–6, 2–6, and the 2009 French Open to Philipp Kohlschreiber 4–6, 6–2, 4–6, 7–6(7–3), 3–6.