John Isner survives against Viktor Troicki in quarterfinal – Legg Mason Tennis Classic 2011
Eleventh seed American John Isner, widely considered to be the underdog in Friday’s quarter final match, pulled through in a three set 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-1 thriller against Serbia’s Viktor Troicki, third seed at the tournament. American
crowd in the stands were undoubtedly delighted; two US players have now managed to proceed to the semis at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. Isner is joined by compatriot Donald Young amongst the revered top four.
This win puts the World No. 35 Isner in his third semi final at Washington. The 2007 runner up reached the semi final last in 2009, losing out to Andy Roddick both times. The high flying Isner came into the tournament with a 19-15
win loss mark and is hot on the heels of flamboyant performances at Atlanta and Newport. He won at Newport to Olivier Rochus and finished runner up to top American Mardy Fish at Atlanta. Previously in the tournament the eleventh seed ironically had to play
against compatriot James Blake, the veteran’s comeback attempt was cut short by best buddy Isner.
With an impressive win loss standing of 30-15, World No.15 Troicki had all the things in his favour. Troicki had scored an emphatic win 6-3, 6-3 against 13thseed Kevin Anderson earlier in the tournament. Washington’s
quarter final was the third for the Serb this year, leaving him in a desperate lurch for his maiden ATP title of the season. Troicki had finished runner up to Juan Martin Del Potro in 2008’s edition of the Legg Mason.
The players’ head to head rankings now stand at 2-1, with Isner scoring his first win against his opponent. They had last met in an adrenaline charged encounter at the Davis Cup 2010, where Troicki had thrashed Isner 7-6(4), 6-7(5),
7-5, 6-4.
Fighting a closely contested first set, Troicki fired 7 massive aces against his opponent’s perfectly executed 6. Despite connecting only 58% of his serves, Troicki managed to take the first set into tie break. A faltering Isner
managed to win the requisite 7 points to win the set, limiting the Serb to only 5. An inconsistent Isner struggled with a succession of wild hits and botched drop shots to lose the second set at a dismal 3-6.
The American found his groove only in the third set, much to the anxious crowd’s relief. Unable to hold serve a single time, Troicki won his only game of the set when he pulled of a surprising serve break in the set’s fifth game.
Isner capitalised on Troicki's feeble second serves (33%), bagging points in the way that he usually does on serve. Serving with an efficiency of 67%, Isner bagged the decider resolutely at 6-1.
Isner is now set to relive his 2007’s semi final at the Legg Mason, where he faced off successfully France’s Gael Monfils in three sets. Monfils is this year’s top seed in Washington and has made his way to the semis by ousting
sixth seed Janko Tipsarevic. Let’s see if things work out for the American again.
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