RICHARD EVANS REPORTS ON TENNIS FROM THE FRENCH INDOORS HELD IN BERCY DAY THREE AND A BAD DAY @ THE OFFICE FOR FEDERER

Written by: Staff on 5th November 2015

BNP Paribas 2015 Masters Tennis Tournament

RICHARD EVANS REPORTS ON TENNIS FROM THE FRENCH INDOORS HELD IN BERCY DAY THREE AND A BAD DAY @ THE OFFICE FOR FEDERER

epa05012922 John Isner (up) of US in action against Roger Federer (down) of Switzerland during their round of sixteen match at the BNP Paribas 2015 Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 05 November 2015. EPA/YOAN VALAT |

Bercy Three – Isner outserves Federer from Richard Evans, Paris

There is nothing more frustrating than losing a match in which you did lose your serve. But that’s what John Isner can do to you and the big American did it to Roger Federer here in the third round of the BNP Paribas Masters at Bercy.

Isner, who had lost to the Swiss five times in six previous meetings, held his nerve in the deciding tie break to win 7-6, 3-6, 7-6.

“It’s tough to go out of a tournament not having lost your serve, you know,” said Federer a little glumly afterwards. “But that’s how it can go against John. I thought he did well today when he needed it. The breakers, he served great. That was the difference.”

At the US Open two months ago, Federer beat Isner in the fourth round 7-6, 7-6, 7-5. So Federer was right in saying that, against Isner, it’s all about winning tie breaks.

John Isner of the US returns the ball to Roger Federer of Switzerland during their round of sixteen match at the BNP Paribas 2015 Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 05 November 2015. EPA/YOAN VALAT

It was tight right to the end. Isner stormed to a 6-2 lead in the breaker but Federer was not done and, holding his own two serves, he then grabbed one off the American to leave Isner serving at 6-5. Nervous?

“Not really,” Isner replied. “I was still confident I could make it. It was on my serve and it shouldn’t have been a surprise that I went wide to his backhand. Everyone knows it’s my favorite serve so it’s a question of ‘Catch it if you can’.”

Federer got nowhere near it. The serve clipped the line and that was it – one of Isner’s best ever wins.

“It’s right up there, for sure,” he said. “This is a very big tournament. He’s an incredible player – my favorite, in fact, when talking about the best ever. I’m very proud of this win.”

And so he should be but there will be no let up in the quarter final when Isner will find himself facing the little Spanish road runner David Ferrer who has qualified yet again for the top eight field at the ATP World Finals in London the week after next.

The only thing that surprised Andy Murray as he moved swiftly into the quarter finals with a 6-1, 6-0 thrashing of Belgium’s David Goffin was an errant thrown from a ball girl that nearly knocked the drink out of his hand at the change over.

“It was weird,” Murray smiled when asked about the incident. “It’s never happened to me in a match before. It was more unexpected than weird, actually, because I didn’t know what it was at first. I was just having a drink. She must have thrown it quite hard because it moved the bottle out of my hand. But I gave her a high five when I walked back to give her my towel. She smiled and, hopefully, she’s not too bothered about it because mistakes happen to everyone.”

The match started at 10.30 in the morning and Goffin looked as if he hadn’t got out of bed. He admitted to feeling exhausted but quickly added that it would be very different when the pair have their anticipated meeting in the Davis Cup Final in Ghent in three weeks time. “I will be ready for that and I hope Andy won’t play so well,” said Goffin who will have the supposed advantage of a clay court when they meet next time.

Despite a change in surface a win as decisive as that can only play Murray’s way psychologically. “It was good for me to play him before the Davis Cup and obviously for me, mentally, it was a positive win.”

Andy Murray of Great Britain returns to David Goffin of Belgium during their round of sixteen match at the BNP Paribas 2015 Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 05 November 2015. EPA/YOAN VALAT

Novak Djokovic also won but not before he had suffered the unusual embarrassment of having his serve broken four times in one set. Gilles Simon, the silky smooth Frenchman, did that to the world No 1 but still could not capitalize, losing his own serve every time and eventually going down 6-3, 7-5.

Djokovic was self critical afterwards. “When your opponent is reading your serve well and getting it back you’re losing a little bit of confidence. You’re trying a bit too much, which I did. It was frustrating losing serve four times in a set, I can assure you. I don’t think that has happened to me for a long time. It wasn’t pleasant but I know I have a good return so that was a positive, knowing that I can break him most of the time.”

Topics: Andy Murray, Atp World Tour, Bercy tennis, Bnp Paribas Masters, David Goffin, Gilles Simon, John Isner, Novak Djokovic, Paris, Richard Evans, Roger Federer, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

November 5, 2015 at 3:48 pm

-@Ringham7 Reports On #Tennis From The #FrenchIndoors Held In Bercy Day Three And A Bad Day @ The Office For Federer https://t.co/HT2DHJKHrC