Ferrer Earns 48th ATP Win While Isner Meets Mahut in Newport

By Erik Gudris

Photo Credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

(July 11, 2012) -- Although they didn't get a chance this year to play each other for the third year in a row at Wimbledon, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut did meet again on a grass court but this time at the Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport.

Though Isner served an impressive 84% first serves for the match, after cruising to an easy 6-2 first set, Isner got almost fell behind late in the second set to Mahut as the American played rather passive tennis from the baseline. Fighting off a break point opportunity for the Frenchman late in the set, Isner eventually forced a tiebreak that he dominated early after winning a long baseline rally to go up 4-0. Mahut pulled to within 4-2, but a double fault from Mahut on match point gave Isner a 6-2, 7-6(2) win.

Isner's frequent doubles partner Sam Querrey wasn't as fortunate against Dudi Sela. After splitting two close sets with Sela, Querrey inexplicably fell apart in the third set, falling behind two breaks of serve as Sela won 5-7, 7-6(6), 6-2.

Other winners on the day included former champion Rajeev Ram and No. 2 seed Kei Nishikori who took out Olivier Rochus 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-2.

Ferrer Sets Up Clash with Robredo in Bastad

Top seed David Ferrer won an ATP-best 48th match win of the season as he defeated Italy's Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-3 in his opening match at the SkiStar Swedish Open.

Ferrer will now meet in the quarterfinals a two-time champion of the event in fellow Spaniard Tommy Robredo who is coming back to tour action after a long injury layoff. Robredo took out Joao Souza 6-3, 6-1.

Several seeds fell in action today as No. 4 seed Jarkko Nieminen fell to Jan Hajek 6-1, 7-6(2) while Jurgen Zopp took out No. 7 Filippo Volandri 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Tipsarevic Eases into Action at Mercedes Cup

Top seed Janko Tipsarevic eased into his opening round match at the Mercedes Cup with a convincing 6-4, 6-2 win over Steve Darcis. Despite being broken early in the first set, Tipsarevic was never really troubled in the 79 minute contest.

German wildcard Dustin Brown after splitting the first two sets against France's Benoit Paire ran away with the third set to seal a 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-1 victory.

Cilic and Granollers Win in Croatia

Local favorite and No. 2 seed Marin Cilic had no trouble in his opening match at the Vegeta Croatia Open Umag as he took out Germany's Daniel Brands 6-3, 6-2.

No 4 seed Marcel Granollers had a tougher time though as he needed three sets to defeat Italy's Potito Starace 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.