STEVIE JOHNSON ESCAPES ISNER, AND IS JOINED BY IVO KARLOVIC AND GAEL MONFILS IN CITI OPEN TENNIS SEMIFINALS

Written by: Staff on 22nd July 2016

STEVIE JOHNSON ESCAPES ISNER, AND IS JOINED BY IVO KARLOVIC AND GAEL MONFILS IN CITI OPEN TENNIS SEMIFINALS

epa05435669 Steve Johnson of the US in action against Ryan Harrison of the US during a third round match at the CITI Open tennis tournament at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center in Washington, DC USA, 21 July 2016. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER |

Johnson escapes Isner, joined by Karlovic and Monfils in Citi Open semifinals

By Ricky Dimon

Steve Johnson and John Isner were already no strangers to waging head-to-head thrillers at the Citi Open. Then Friday afternoon happened.

Johnson saved an incredible 12 set points–five in the first and seven in the second–before surviving 7-6(7), 7-6(15) in one hour and 57 minutes. He withstood 29 aces off the Isner racket to set up a semifinal showdown against Ivo Karlovic.

Isner had three break points with Johnson serving at 4-5 and one more at 5-6 that would have allowed him to avoid a tiebreaker, but he could not convert. The 6’10” American also seized a quick 2-0 advantage in the ‘breaker only to see Johnson get the mini-break back at 3-5. A forehand winner by the fifth seed at 8-7 gave him another mini-break, and with it the set.

If Johnson got a somewhat lucky in the opening set, the second was absolute thievery. Isner missed two more break chances before surging to a seemingly insurmountable 6-3, double mini-break lead in the tiebreaker. But the top seed dropped two straight service points, including one with sitting forehand that he shanked long at 6-4.

Isner’s only double-fault of the day came at the worst of times–at 15-15. Johnson took care of his sixth match point (first on his own serve) with little trouble after his opponent sent a backhand wide at the end of a short baseline rally.

“I have no idea (how I won),” Johnson admitted in his on-court interview. “It was one in a million. I have no idea what just happened.”

“I had countless chances today,” Isner reflected. “I did a lot of really good things; I certainly put more pressure on him than he put on me. I got tentative on that forehand on the second set point (in the second-set tiebreaker). As hard as it is to swallow, it’s a positive step for me because I played the right way…. I just didn’t get paid off; partly because I got a little tight and partly because he was good.”

John Isner of the US in action against James Duckworth of Australia during a second round match at the CITI Open tennis tournament at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center in Washington, DC, USA, 20 July 2016. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER

Karlovic has been especially good over the past two weeks, with a title in Newport and now a semifinal run in Washington, D.C. The 6’11” Croat took out Jack Sock 7-6(4), 7-6(6) in the first match of the day. Karlovic fired 26 aces and saved all four of the break points he faced.

“It’s pretty ridiculous,” Sock said of the No. 13 seed’s booming serve. “It’s probably harder to play him on a really hot day like today, because the ball jumps even higher. I even guessed right on a few (of my break chances) and he hit some second serves that almost went over my head. I’m a decently tall guy and they were above my shoulder. So it’s pretty ridiculous sometimes.”

The bottom-half semifinal will pit Gael Monfils against either Alexander Zverev or Benoit Paire. Monfils held off Wimbledon quarterfinalist Sam Querrey 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.