TENNIS NEWS – U.S. OPEN TENNIS – RYAN HARRISON UPSETS MILOS RAONIC TO JOIN THIRD-ROUND PARTY WITH JOHN ISNER, & JACK SOCK

Written by: Staff on 31st August 2016

TENNIS NEWS - U.S. OPEN TENNIS - RYAN HARRISON UPSETS MILOS RAONIC TO JOIN THIRD-ROUND PARTY WITH JOHN ISNER, & JACK SOCK

epa05517621 Ryan Harrison of the US reacts after defeating Milos Raonic of Canada on the third day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2016. The US Open runs through September 11. EPA/PETER FOLEY |

By Ricky Dimon

To the surprise of no one, John Isner and Jack Sock marched into the U.S. Open third round on Wednesday. The arrival of a third musketeer in the last 32 of the season’s final Grand Slam, however, was entirely unexpected. That would be none other than Ryan Harrison, who had to qualify just to get into the main draw and parlayed that success into upsets of Adrian Mannarino and–taking to a whole different level–Milos Raonic.

As for Isner, he had to stage a comeback from two sets down just to escape his opener with a 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 7-6(3) victory over Frances Tiafoe. The 6’10” American made sure he would not receive of taste of his own medicine two days later. Despite squandering four match points with a chance to seal the deal in straight sets, Isner recovered in the fourth to hold off Steve Darcis 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(10), 6-4 in two hours and 54 minutes.

A decisive service break came at 4-4 in the fourth, after which the 20th seed emphatically closed out the match at love.

“I feel like I played pretty well,” Isner assessed. “I had a handful of chances, and for the most part I took them in the first two sets. Third set, (I) probably would have liked to have had that back. Serving at 6-4 in the tiebreaker, (I) lost that point, went into a bit after shell, (and) did not play aggressively from that point forward in that tiebreaker. Getting off in four sets, I was very happy.”

The world No. 21 needed five against Tiafoe in a showdown during which the 18-year-old underdog had the fans on his side from start to finish. Facing a Belgian this time around, Isner enjoyed all of the crowd support.

“I would say the U.S. Open,” Isner said when asked about his second favorite place to play tennis behind Athens, Georgia (where he went to college). “Here, having the fans on your side, it’s very important. This place is awesome.”

It was certainly awesome for Harrison on Wednesday evening. The world No. 120 benefited from a hobbled Raonic to pull off a 6-7(4), 7-5, 7-5, 6-1 stunner over the Wimbledon runner-up. Plagued by a wrist issue but to an even greater extent leg cramps, Raonic struggled throughout the third set was reduced to little more than an innocent bystander in the fourth.

Even with the sixth-ranked Canadian at 100 percent, though, Harrison turned the first two sets into an even contest. After dropping the opener in a tiebreaker, the 24-year-old broke serve twice in the second–including at 6-5 when he won the last three points to take the set.

Milos Raonic of Canada hits a return to Ryan Harrison of the US on the third day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2016. The US Open runs through September 11. EPA/PETER FOLEY

Raonic briefly pushed through his physical problems for an early break in the third, but it was just about all over for him when he gave it back at 4-3.

“It was a really important game at 4-3 there, to break back and give myself a chance,” Harrison reflected. “All I was thinking once I got to the third set was I really want to make this feel like a long way back for him. If he’s not already feeling physically good, I want it to be a long way back.”

It proved to be far too long for Raonic, so it is Harrison joining the parade of Americans in the win column during the early stages of this U.S. Open. In addition to the exploits of Isner, Harrison, and Sock (who destroyed Mischa Zverev 6-1, 6-1, 6-2), Jared Donaldson upset David Goffin on Tuesday and Steve Johnson saved six match points to score a shocking comeback from two sets down against Evgeny Donskoy.

“It’s cool,” Harrison assured. “John, Jared, Jack, and I, and Stevie, we’re all within five feet of each other’s locker. We’ve been able to feel the excitement. I saw Johnson this morning when he walked in. You’re smiling for him, happy for him. Isner was the first person I saw when I walked in the locker room (after beating Raonic). He’s excited for me. That’s the good thing about all of us guys that are playing for America right now. We all have pretty good relationships.

“I think the winning does become contagious. It’s something where someone achieves something or someone that you’re close to has a big win. You think it’s a lot more achievable for you. I certainly have a big belief that we’re all able to continue winning. I don’t think that we’re done right now.”