ISNER, TIPSAREVIC HANG TOUGH

Written by: Staff on 29th August 2012

ISNER, TIPSAREVIC HANG TOUGH

epa03374149 John Isner of the US hits a return to Xavier Malisse of Belgium during their match on the third day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 29 August 2012. The US Open runs through Sunday 09 September 2012. EPA/LARRY W. SMITH |

Courtesy of ATP: (http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/08/35/US-Open-Wednesday-Isner-Tipsarevic-Hang-Tough.aspx).

American No. 1 John Isner was tested in his first-round clash at the US Open on Wednesday in New York, saving two set points in the fourth-set tie-break before edging Belgium’s Xavier Malisse 6-3, 7-6(5), 5-7, 7-6(9).

“I knew the match today was going to be tough,” he said. “A lot of people are projecting me to go far here, but I wasn’t looking past this match. As you guys could see, I had my hands full. He doesn’t mind playing me. He’s played me well in the past and he did it again today. Got to a certain point there where it was anyone’s match. I just got pretty fortunate at the end. I’m happy to move on.”

The 6’9’’ Isner fired 20 aces and won 80 per cent of points behind his first serve as he held off a Malisse fightback for victory in two hours and 56 minutes. The 27 year old has won nine of his past 10 matches, having come into the US Open after a semi-final showing at the Rogers Cup in Toronto (l. to Gasquet) and victory at the Winston-Salem Open (d. Berdych).

The No. 10-ranked Isner achieved his best result at Flushing Meadows last year when he reached the quarter-finals (l. to Murray). The North Carolina native is bidding to become the first homegrown winner since Andy Roddick triumphed in 2003 (d. Ferrero).

Eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic, Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller and Latvian Ernests Gulbis all completed comebacks from two sets down in the first round, joining six other players who accomplished the feat in their openers Monday and Tuesday.

Serbia’s Tipsarevic survived a scare against France’s Guillaume Rufin before prevailing 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in three hours and 37 minutes. The Belgrade native came back from two sets down for the fifth time in his career as he avoided a sixth first-round exit in New York.

Muller set up a second-round clash with Lleyton Hewitt after battling past No. 28 seed Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 2-6, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(6), 7-6(6) in four hours and 23 minutes.

Gulbis overcame 34-year-old German Tommy Haas 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 in three hours and 44 minutes as he struck 70 winners, including 24 aces. World No. 21 Haas, a three-time US Open quarter-finalist, was making his 15th appearance at Flushing Meadows and lost in the first round for the first time since his 1996 debut (l. to Stich).

“I think I let it slip away a little bit in the third,” lamented Haas, who was playing in his 50th major. “That 3-2 game in the third it’s going to stay with me for a little bit for sure. Just got a little bit tight, a little bit nervous trying to consolidate that break. Made a few bad errors that you can’t allow yourself to happen. Sort of gave him a chance to come back.”

Gulbis will next face reigning NCAA men’s singles champion Steve Johnson, who defeated fellow American Rajeev Ram 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 to record his second tour-level victory and first at a major.