By Chris Oddo | Tuesday October 23, 2018
London’s calling, but who will answer?
Both John Isner and Kei Nishikori kept alive their chances of making it to the Nitto ATP Finals at London on Tuesday in Vienna, and both overcame some difficulties to do so.
Isner, who began the week 20 points ahead of Nishikori in the Race to London standings, stretched his lead with a victory over Cameron Norrie. The American had to save two match points to eke out the victory in three sets, 6-7(1), 6-4, 7-6(7) to defeat the 23-year-old. Isner saved one with Norrie serving at 6-5 in the third-set breaker when the World No.85 missed a forehand attempt just wide, and Isner saved another at 6-7 with an ace.
World No.9 Isner picks up points on Nishikori temporarily despite the fact that both players won today because Isner enters the week with a zero from his six best results in 500 and 250 events. Nishikori has to reach the semifinals to gain points, but if he does he has the potential to pick up 410 points.
Nishikori faced a stern test from American Frances Tiafoe, overcoming a strong push from the 20-year-old when Tiafoe won five straight games to get from 3-5 in set two to 1-0 in set three.
But Nishikori responded to claim his 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-2 victory and book a clash with either Karen Khachanov or Denis Novak in the second round.
Thiem Starts Strong
Dominic Thiem is enjoying being the top seed at his hometown tournament for the first time and the Austrian is off to a good start after punching past Belgium’s Ruben Bemelmans 7-5, 7-6(1) to improve to 7-7 lifetime at the event. Thiem has never been past the quarterfinals at Vienna, but his elevated hardcourt form in 2018 hints that this could be the year.
Thiem will face Sam Querrey in the second round after the American edged Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, behind 20 aces.
Thiem saved all three break points he faced against Bemelmans and impressively won 21 of 29 second serve points to improve to 49-16 on the season and 19-6 on hardcourts. The Austrian is also bidding for one of the three or four (depending on Juan Martin del Potro’s health) remaining spots in the Nitto ATP Finals. He leads Isner by 470 points but needs to reach the semis to gain further ground.