Only three American men advanced past the first round of the U.S. Open, but all three are still alive following the first full day of second-round action. John Isner and Sam Querrey powered their way to routine wins on Friday, with Tim Smyczek still to play for a spot in the last 32.
One of Isner’s most well-documented issues at Grand Slams has been a propensity for prolonged struggles in the early stages, thus sapping him of energy needed for more difficult matches later in tournaments. So far, Isner has had no such problem. Two days after rolling over Marcos Giron in straight sets, the No. 13 seed overwhelmed Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-2.
Isner enjoyed a ridiculous serving day, even by his standards. He blasted 30 aces compared to just one double-fault while putting in an awesome 73 percent of his first deliveries.
“Really the conditions were perfect,” the host nation’s top player explained. “Wasn’t humid like it was yesterday; wasn’t hot. Really the match turned at that 4-all game in the second set. I finally was able to break through and I kind of broke the match wide open. I did what I have done a lot of times. Winning a tiebreaker in the first set; I won that and it gave me some momentum. I was able to take it in straight sets after that.”
Querrey also took his match in straights with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 demolition of Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. The world No. 57 also beat Garcia-Lopez last week in the Winston-Salem quarterfinals.
“Yeah,” Querrey answered when asked if that was the best he has played all year. “(I) usually play better as the tournament goes on. I felt like I played great today; serve felt good, forehand felt good. I was making the right decisions. (I) hope I can keep playing like that.”
He will have to, because next up for him on Saturday is world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.
Topics: John Isner, Novak Djokovic, Ricky Dimon, Sam Querrey, Tennis, Tim Smyczek, US Open
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