Tennis Atlantic

Dodig-Hewitt And Isner-Blake Highlight BB&T Atlanta Open Day 7 Quarterfinals

Quarterfinal singles matches will take place in Atlanta on Friday. Action begins at 1 p.m. on Stadium with a match between Ivan Dodig and Lleyton Hewitt, that, if the current form holds for both, could very well go the distance. Dodig beat Hewitt once last year, and that went 3 sets.

After that match concludes, an All-American battle between James Blake and John Isner will take place for the 3rd time in their careers, and the 2nd time in the history of the ATP Atlanta tournament. The 2 previous meetings have both been won by Isner, but Blake comes off 2 solid wins in which his aggressive tennis held up. Isner comes off a long 3 setter in which his tennis was not up to his potential at times. Both have been clutch this week.

The evening matches are Giraldo vs. Ryan Harrison and Istomin vs. Anderson. Harrison beat Giraldo at the Aussie open this year in 4 sets, and Anderson beat Istomin in straights on a hard court in Sydney this year. I expect that to be a servefest.

On Grandstand at 7, Berankis/Giraldo and Roger-Vasselin/Sijsling are scheduled to go head to head in doubles, though I’m not sure how that will work out given Giraldo could very well be playing singles at the same scheduled time.

—Steen Kirby