Ferrero started the year poorly, suffering three consecutive loses, beginning with a second round loss at the Australian Open to Australian Andrew Ilie 6–3, 2–6, 1–6, 6–1, 2–6, followed by loses at Davis Cup to Dutch Raemon Sluiter 7–6(7–5), 6–7(7–9), 6–3, 6–7(3–7), 4–6 and the first round at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament to Ivan Ljubičić 6–7(2–7), 4–6. He bounced back at the Dubai Tennis Championships defeating Marat Safin, 6–2, 3–1 RET in the final, after upsetting No. 5 Magnus Norman 6–2, 4–6, 6–4 in the quarterfinals. He suffered a first round loss at the Indian Wells Masters in three tie–break sets to Nicolás Massú and a fourth round loss to Gastón Gaudio 0–6, 6–3, 3–6 at the Ericsson Open.