Top seed Mardy Fish wasted two match-winning chances and then lost 10 of 11 points before pulling out a 6-4, 6-3 win over Somdev Devvarman to reach the semis of the Atlanta Championships.
John Isner crushed Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan 6-1, 6-2.
The ninth-ranked holder Fish began to rush his shots as thunder could be heard in the background and rain threatened. He was one set up and leading 5-0 in the second when he mishit two match points against Devvarman’s serve.
Photo: AFP
It took three more games to finish the job as Fish temporarily lost form before his late recovery for victory.
Fish spent 52 minutes in claiming the first set against India’s Devvarman despite poor early form. The American struggled at times with more than 20 unforced errors and capitalizing on only one of seven break points through the first eight games.
He now plays American teenager Ryan Harrison, who rallied to beat Rajeev Ram 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5).
Isner lost just seven points on serve as he crushed Lu.
The third-seeded American was scheduled to play Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller yesterday, who ended his six-year ATP semi-final drought with a straight-sets upset of second-seeded South African Kevin Anderson.
The 28-year-old Muller, who won his sixth career Challenger title in May last year on grass, but has been beaten in the two ATP-level finals he has played, fired 14 aces and mustered one break of serve en route to a 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/3) victory.
Isner, meanwhile, who starred on the collegiate circuit while at the University of Georgia, thrived in sweltering conditions.
“This court is perfect for me. It’s hot, but the ball is moving pretty well, that’s good for my serve,” he said.
Isner secured two breaks in each set to defeat Lu in 54 minutes on his second match point. He saved an early break point, but was never again threatened.
Isner said his confidence has been boosted by the grass-court title he won in Newport the week after Wimbledon.
“I feel like I have my swagger back, it’s all about confidence now,” last year’s Wimbledon marathon man said. “I’m playing well.”
Muller was pleased to make a breakthrough after more than two-and-a-half years of toiling on the lower-level Challenger circuit as he tries to improve his world No. 82 ranking.
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