By Alberto Amalfi | Saturday, April 15, 2017
Down 1-3 in the final set, Steve Johnson reeled off five straight games charging past Jack Sock into his first clay-court final in Houston.
Photo credit U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships
Familiarity can create predictability on court.
Squaring off against Davis Cup teammate Jack Sock for the third time this season, Steve Johnson was in no mood for a repeat result.
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Down 1-3 in the decisive set today, Johnson charged through five consecutive games surprising Sock, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, to advance to his first career ATP clay-court final in Houston.
The fourth-seeded Johnson is through to his third career final where he will play Thomaz Bellucci. In their lone prior meeting, Johhnson beat Bellucci, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2, at the 2016 Australian Open.
The left-handed Brazilian rallied for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 victory over 20-year-old wild card Ernesto Escobedo in today’s opening semifinal.
The day began with three American semifinalists for the first time since 2002 when Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Pete Sampras were among the final four.
A week after Johnson and Sock shared the court scoring a five-set Davis Cup doubles victory in Brisbane, the pair were on opposite sides of the net for the third time this season.
Sock scored straight-sets wins in their two prior encounters this season—in the Auckland semifinals and Delray Beach quarterfinals—repeatedly hammering his inside-out forehand to Johnson’s weaker backhand wing.
The 2015 champion broke to open the final set. Sock stamped a solid hold at 30 to stretch his lead to 3-1 in the decider.
Victimized repeatedly by the Sock kick serve, Johnson moved over to cover it and slid a backhand return winner down the line, breaking back for 3-all.
Powering through a two-ace game, Johnson backed up the break for 4-3.
The Olympic doubles bronze medalists both had chances to close the eighth game. Sock saved two break points but scattered an inside-out forehand wide on the third break point dropping serve for the second time in a row.
Serving for his first final since he won Nottingham on grass last June, Johnson saved a break point then slashed successive aces to close a two-hour victory—his first over Sock since the 2015 Washington, DC quarterfinals.