Djokovic and Isner Grind into Toronto Semis After Long Day

By Erik Gudris

(August 10th, 2012) -- After yesterday's complete rain out of all singles matches at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, organizers were forced to schedule back to back matches in order for the event to be on track for the weekend.

No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic is the still favorite to repeat as champion, but he was forced to work for his semifinal spot as he was forced to spend all day and most of the night on site. Earlier in the day, Djokovic stopped a late second set surge from Sam Querrey to win their third round match 6-4, 6-4 and then came back out in the evening to take on Germany's Tommy Haas who came from behind to defeat Radek Stepanek earlier 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Djokovic won the first set, but it was Haas who jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second set with the help of stunning winners especially on his backhand side. Haas won the second set but found himself broken to love to give Djokovic a 3-1 lead.

But it wasn't to be an easy third set for the defending champion as Djokovic and Haas often found themselves in long, testing rallies that often went the way of Haas causing Djokovic to lose his temper and drop his racquet several times. Serving for the match at 5-3, Djokovic lost another long rally and found himself down break point. Djokovic saved it and soon found himself at match point only to watch Haas hit a sizzling down the line backhand winner.

Djokovic just missed a volley on his second match point but finally closed it out on his third match point when Haas netted with his 43rd unforced error to give Djokovic a hard fought 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win just at the stroke of midnight.

Djokovic, who let out a primal yell of celebration after winning, now faces fellow Serbian Janko Tipsarevic in the semifinals after Tipsarevic took out Spain's Marcel Granollers 6-4, 6-4.

France's Richard Gasquet, perhaps inspired by winning a bronze medal in doubles at the Olympics, displayed fine form as he upset No. 4 seed Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-2 in the afternoon before taking on Mardy Fish in the quarterfinals. Fish, who needed three sets earlier in the morning to defeat Juan Monaco 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, managed to take the first off of Gasquet after both men traded multiple breaks of serve.

But Fish began to grow weary from his long day allowing Gasquet to roll through the second set 6-1. Shouting up "I've got nothing left" to his coach Mark Knowles at the start of the third, Fish looked resigned as he was broken to start the third set and couldn't muster enough energy to challenge Gasquet's serve as the Frenchman closed out the match 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

Canada's own Milos Raonic, playing in his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal, had the crowd and a day's rest in his advantage as he took on John Isner this evening. Isner, who was forced to grind out a three set win over Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-4 earlier, had a set point on Raonic's serve late in the first set before the Canadian saved the break point to force a tiebreak that saw both men hit huge serves before Isner hit an ace to clinch the tight breaker on his sixth set point.

Isner starting reading Raonic's serve better in the second set and was able to break the Canadian at love midway through the set. Serving for the match, Isner faced 30-all on his serve but used a clever serve and volley play on match point to win 7-6(9), 6-4.

Isner takes on Gasquet in the other semi with both men tied at 1-1 in their overall head to head record.

(Photo Credit: AP/Canadian Press/Nathan Denette)