John Isner, Philipp Kohlschreiber advance to the round of 16 – Delray Beach International 2012
John Isner beats Jesse Levine 6-4, 7-6(15)
Top seed, John Isner of USA, qualified for the second round, after ousting his compatriot, Jesse Levine, in straight sets 6-4, 7-6(15) in the opening match at the Delray Beach International in Florida, USA on Tuesday.
The only break of the match came in the very first game, as Isner got off to a good start with a 2-0 lead. Levine was near to equalising the score in the fourth game but Isner managed to escape the threat. The 26-year-old, Isner,
was flawless in the tenth and bagged the opener 6-4.
In the second set, neither of the two players was able to break other’s serve, levelling the score at 6-6. Both of them matched each other stroke by stroke in the tie-breaker. Isner saved five set points and in the end sealed it
17-15.
The big serving American pounded 13 aces and succeeded in saving the only break point he faced in the match. The match lasted for an hour and 45 minutes.
After the match, Isner expressed, "I served very well and to be honest I was very lucky to win it.’
The American continued, “I’m playing with the house money now. The humidity was really starting to get to me, and I am not sure I would have made it through a third set. It was not so much the heat, but after several weeks playing
indoors, the humidity was starting to take its toll.”
World number 11 Isner will play another countryman Ryan Sweeting in the next match.
Philipp Kohlschreiber defeats Olivier Rochus 6-1, 6-4
Fifth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber scored an easy victory over Olivier Rochus of Belgium, outplaying him in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 to proceed to the second round. The German needed just an hour and 17 minutes to come out victorious
from the match.
Kohlschreiber was almost flawless in the first set. He dropped only one game in the entire set, grabbing it 6-1.
The second set saw much better competition as compared to the first. Kohlschreiber and Rochus held their serve in the first eight games, squaring off the score at 4-4. The German made a breakthrough in the ninth game and capitalized
on it to clinch the set 6-4.
Kohlschreiber bombarded the Belgium with his big first serves, hitting 13 aces and claiming 33 of the 34 points on them.
The German is scheduled to encounter Croatian Ivan Dodig in the second round. Dodig overcame Matthias Bachinger in the previous match.
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