Johnson Edges Isner, Now Plays Sock In Auckland
Johnson Edges Isner, Now Plays Sock In Auckland
Sock leads Johnson 2-1 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series
American Steve Johnson upset countryman and friend John Isner 6-3, 4-7, 7-6(3) in two hours and 14 minutes on Thursday for a place in the ASB Classic semi-finals. Johnson won 85 per cent of his first-serve points and overcame 19 Isner aces.
Isner netted a forehand volley to bring up three match points for Johnson in the third-set tie-break. He’d need only one, though, as he hit a forehand net-cord winner on the next point.
Johnson, the seventh seed, will meet fourth-seeded American and last year’s finalist Jack Sock, who converted four of his 25 break point opportunities to beat Jeremy Chardy of France 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 10 minutes. Sock hit 12 aces to Chardy’s 14 aces.
Joao Sousa saved both break points to reach his first Auckland semi-final after he defeated Dutchmen Robin Haase 6-3, 6-2 in 57 minutes.
The Portugal native now challenges eighth seed Marcos Baghdatis, who struck 12 aces to overcome 2015 champion Jiri Vesely 6-2, 6-4 in 70 minutes. This week, Baghdatis is bidding to win his first ATP World Tour trophy since the 2010 Apia International Sydney.
DOUBLES: Fourth seeds Marcin Matkowski and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi saved one match point at 8/9 in the Match tie-break to beat Santiago Gonzalez and David Marrero 6-4, 3-6, 11-9 for a place in the semi-finals. Nicholas Monroe and Artem Sitak also saved one match point at 8/9 in the Match tie-break of their 3-6, 7-6(5), 11-9 victory over Facundo Bagnis and Diego Schwartzman.