By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, February 15, 2019
John Isner served 92 percent and pounded 16 aces overpowering Jordan Thompson, 6-4, 6-1, to set up a New York Open semifinal vs. fellow tower of power Reilly Opelka.
Photo credit: New York Open Facebook
The ominous thud of the Dunlop ball denting the back wall reverberated through the arena.
Serving sound summed up a simple truth to tonight's match: John Isner had the last word on first serve.
Watch: Menacing Medvedev Rolling
An imposing Isner served an eye-popping 92 percent and pounded down 16 aces overpowering Jordan Thompson, 6-4, 6-1, to roll into the New York Open semifinals.
The American No. 1 made 45 of 49 first serves and reeled off seven straight games rampaging through a 63-minute rout.
The 2018 Wimbledon semifinalist has turned the NYCB Live–Nassau Coliseum into a launching pad.
Isner arrived in New York on a six-match, Tour-level losing streak, but hasn't lost a set reaching the semifinals.
The seventh-seeded Aussie actually earned the first two break points of the match in the opening set.
Once Isner erased them, he downshifted into dominance mode.
The ninth-ranked Isner laced an ace holding at love for 5-4.
The American No. 1 hit three penetrating returns for double set point. Thompson saved the first punching a high volley into the corner, but floated a backhand beyond the baseline as Isner broke to snatch a one-set lead.
Thompson tried to press the issue and move forward when he could. Isner was timing returns well and unloading on his forehand when he had time.
Dotting the sideline with a drive, Isner scored his second straight break for 2-0 eventually racing through seven straight games to seize a 5-0 second-set lead.
This was declarative serving dominance even by Isner's devastating serving standards setting up a rematch with one of the few men he looks up to on Tour: compatriot Reilly Opelka.
The 21-year-old Opelka cruised past 35-year-old Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 6-3, 6-4, into his second straight semifinal following his run to the final four at the ATP Dallas Challenger last week.
Opelka hit 14 aces and saved the only break point he faced.
Last month, 6-foot-11 Opelka edged 6-foot-10 Isner in four tie break sets in an Australian Open opener that was the tallest Grand Slam match in history. Opelka unleashed his 40th ace to put the punctuation point on his 7-6 (4), 7-6 (8), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), triumph.
Rallies will likely be limited when the towers of power square off again tomorrow.
Former Wimbledon semifinalist Sam Querrey cranked 23 aces in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Jason Jung the day after Jung toppled second-seeded Frances Tiafoe.
Querrey, who lost to Kevin Anderson in the 2018 New York Open final, faces 154th-ranked Canadian qualifier Brayden Schnur for a spot in the final.
Schnur stopped 37-year-old Italian Paolo Lorenzi, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (5), 7-5.