Hewitt Awaits Isner in Newport as Cilic Goes For First Umag Title

By Erik Gudris

Photo Credit: Corleve

(July 14, 2012) -- Lleyton Hewitt was just hoping to get some matches in on the grass courts of Newport before he heads back to London to compete in the Summer Games for Australia. Instead, he finds himself in his first tour final in two years at the Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.

Up against former champion Rajeev Ram, Hewitt found himself down early in the first set but rallied to win it though Ram managed to hang on to his advantage in the second set to force a decider. But it was the experience of Hewitt that shone through as he went up an early break and didn't let go to claim a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 win.

Hewitt will meet defending champion John Isner who dispatched of fellow American Ryan Harrison in the other semi. Neither man faced a break point in the opening set that ended up a tiebreak. But at 3-all, Isner made his move and with help from a Harrison double fault, Isner took the first set 7-6(4).

Harrison saved a break point in the opening game of the second set but an errant forehand gave Isner a break for 2-1. Isner, who hit 11 aces in the match, didn't need to serve it out as he hit a winning forehand passing shot to break Harrison one more time to win 7-6(4), 6-3.

Ferrer and Almagro Set Up All-Spanish Finals in Bastad

Top seed David Ferrer continued his impressive 2012 season by recording his 50th win on tour this year with a straight sets win in the semifinals of the SkiStar Swedish Open.

Taking on Grigor Dimitrov, Ferrer won the first set but fought off a late surge from Dimitrov in the second set who held set points on Ferrer's serve at 15-40 before the Spaniard rallied to win 6-3, 7-5.

"I didn't serve well today," said Ferrer. "I saved good points and I was a bit lucky in the [second] set. I'm very happy to be in the final here in Bastad."

Ferrer will meet in the finals fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro who defeated Jan Hajek 6-4, 6-3. Ferrer leads the head to head against Almagro 10-0.

Tipsarevic To Play in First Ever Clay Court Final in Stuttgart

Top seed Janko Tipsarevic endured yet another three set battle at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart but hung on to reach his first ever career clay court final.

Meeting Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci, Tipsarevic recovered after dropping the second set to win 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Waiting for Tipsarevic will be Juan Monaco who got through a wild semifinal against Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

After splitting the first two sets, Monaco fell behind 1-5 in the final set but then rallied to tie and then eventually go ahead 6-5. Garcia-Lopez served to force a tiebreak but Monaco was able to break him to win 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.

“It was a crazy match. I served twice for the match and I lost many match points,” said Monaco. “I was a little disappointed. But tennis is like this. You always have a chance to win. I’m very happy the way I fought back today. I made many mistakes, but then I was focused, thinking about winning and I’m happy about that.”

Verdasco Upset as Cilic Aims to Be Hometown Hero in Umag Finals

Spain's Marcel Granollers advanced to his first final of the season as he upset countryman and top seed Fernando Verdasco in the semifinals of the ATP Vegeta Croatia Open Umag.

Though Granollers lost the second set in a tiebreak and fell behind an early break in the third, he won the last six games to pull of the upset win 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-1.

The other semifinal was a repeat of last year's final with local favorite and No. 2 seed Marin Cilic taking on defending champion No. 3 seed Alexandr Dolgopolov. Though Dolgopolov served for the first set at 5-4, Cilic won the last three games to take the set. From there, Cilic raced away with the match in 81 minutes winning 7-5, 6-2.

Cilic is aiming to be the first Croat ever to win the Umag title though he has won the Zagreb Indoors event twice in his career back in 2009 and 2010.