ATP Delray Beach: John Isner, Daniel Evans and Andreas Seppi reach quarters
After six match points he wasted against Reilly Opelka in the semi-final in New York last week, John Isner is back on the winning way in Delray Beach, ousting Lukas Lacko 6-4, 6-3 in 70 minutes for the fourth win over the Slovak in as many encounters. Serving at 74%, John blasted 18 aces and saved both break points he faced to keep the pressure on Lukas who couldn't deliver the same numbers behind the initial shot, playing against nine break points and suffering three breaks to send John into the last eight. Nothing could separate them in the opening eight games and the pivotal moment came at 4-4 when Lukas squandered a game point and got broken after a terrible volley, allowing Isner to close the set with four aces in game ten for a 6-4.
The Slovak fended off six break points in the third game of the second set, leading 3-2 before Isner took charge to grab the remaining four games and cross the finish line. Lukas had a game point at 3-3 but he failed to win that one last point, netting a backhand to give John a break and playing another loose service game at 3-5 to push the American into the quarters. The 8th seed Adrian Mannarino arrived in Delray Beach with a 0-5 score in 2019 and he will now play in the quarter-final after a 6-2, 7-6 win over Denis Istomin in an hour and 18 minutes.
Adrian lost just 12 points in ten service games, losing serve once and winning 42% of the return points to grab three breaks, saving a set point in the ninth game of the second set to win it 7-3 in the tie break to avoid the third set and save energy for the next encounter. Following a thrilling win over the 3rd seed Frances Tiafoe (read the match report HERE), a qualifier Daniel Evans destroyed Lloyd Harris 6-0, 6-2 in 68 minutes for the first ATP quarter-final since Sydney 2017. The South African served at only 53% and he never found the rhythm behind the initial shot, dropping 60% of the points in his games and having to play against 14 break points, capitulating six times for one of his toughest losses in recent months.
The youngster wasted game points at 0-1 and sent a volley long to lose serve, feeding Evans with an early momentum and struggling in the rest of the match against the rival who did everything right to book the quarter-final spot. An in-form Italian Andreas Seppi took down Jordan Thompson 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, controlling the scoreboard with a great display on the serve and winning almost half of the return points to claim five breaks and dominate in the decider for the 11th win of the season.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2BNWfaO
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