Tennis Atlantic

>Isner, Anderson Set Up 1-2 Final Battle in Atlanta, ERV-Sijsling Reach 2nd Straight ATP Dubs Final

Isner got there by winning a tense, drama filled three set tiebreak match against Lleyton Hewitt. Both players started under the afternoon humidity and clouds with easy holds. Isner tried being aggressive, and in fact got 3 break points on the Hewitt serve midway through the first, but his uncorked forehand wasn’t consistent enough and they went all the way to 5-4. Rusty battled from the baseline and Isner ripped forehand returns when he could.

Finally, Isner got a breakthrough, pouncing on Hewitt 2nd serves to take the first set, 6-4.

In the 2nd, Hewitt went up an early break after Isner got sloppy again. He did play better overall this match than in his first two matches. Hewitt didn’t hold it though, getting broken back after getting sloppy himself, including a double fault and things looked back even. Again, Isner would lack consistency to hold when Hewitt got a read on his serve, dumping a pair of bad volleys to give up a second break in Set 2. Isner would try to get it back, but it wouldn’t be enough, as in their Newport meeting, Rusty would force a 3rd set, 6-4.

In the 3rd, they would hold it out until the 3-all Isner serve game. Hewitt got three break point looks, but didn’t come close to taking any of them, as poor shot selection and ill-timed returns put the American back on serve and in the driver’s seat.

Hewitt would get another break point chance at 4-all on the Isner serve, but again came up empty as the chances continued to be lost as the afternoon wore on. Hewitt was still reading Isner’s serve very well, but couldn’t finish the deal.

Hewitt would fight it out to force a 3rd set tiebreak, and after Isner got up a double minibreak, Hewitt would come back one last time and give it a push. In the end, Big John was consistent enough: he broke Hewitt with a volley and then hit an ace to seal his berth in the final. The forehand, along with his usual serve were the keys for Isner, who made it past the semis this year and will be a finalist for the first time since the ATP Atlanta event has been at Atlantic Station.

He was in a great mood post match, interacting with his dog “Spot” (“Oh look, there’s Spot. I love that dog.”-during the presser) and a lot of kids and fans.

He will get Kevin Anderson in the final, as Anderson overpowered a defensive-minded Ryan Harrison 6-3, 7-6. Big Kev got the break he needed in Set 1 at 5-3, as he put away a volley winner. He would hold and serve it out with an ace as Harrison failed to come close to cracking his service games. Anderson also made the American put in a lot more roadwork than he needed to in Set 1.

Harrison saved a pair of break points in Set 2 and followed that up by working his tail off for a break, but it just didn’t happen. Anderson served far too well to be beaten by a player of Harrison’s style. Anderson would save 3 break points in what Harry’s second to last shot at forcing a 3rd set. At the end of the second, Anderson would save 2 set points at 5-6, eventually forcing a tiebreak. That tiebreak would be won by the South African, again using power, serve, and a few nice volleys to finish Harrison off in straight sets.

In the doubles, Edouard Roger-Vasselin/Igor Sijsling reached their 2nd straight ATP doubles final (they lost in the Bogota final) beating Erlich/Ram 3-6, 6-1, 10-7. Their opponents will be Colin Fleming/Johnny Marray, who beat Hewitt/Guccione in an entertaining, somewhat lighthearted contest 6-4, 7-6.

Fleming/Marray got the break they needed in the first set and Hewitt/Gooch would go up in set 2. In fact, the Australians were also well ahead in the tiebreak, but gave it away and failed to force a final 3rd set tiebreak. Hewitt played well, and was in a decent mood after his semifinal singles lost just hours before. He was hitting moon balls after each point and joked with the chair umpire a bit. Guccione played rather poorly, on the other hand, and Fleming played very well.

—Steen Kirby