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Isner & Harrison Lead American Charge in Memphis
By Erik Gudris Photo Credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
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(February 22nd, 2012) In a match that had those sitting on the front row wishing they had brought body armor to protect themselves from the fast serves booming straight at them, top seed John Isner won his opening round match at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis against Luxembourg's Gilles Muller 7-6, 7-6. Despite saving five break points against him, Muller was unable to convert on his only break point against Isner late in the second set. Isner now faces Donald Young in the next round.
Young American hopes Ryan Harrison and Jack Sock went the distance in their first ever meeting in a main tour ATP event with Harrison taking the first set before being broken early in the second set allowing Sock to force things to a decider. At 3-all, Harrison took advantage of his only break point against the Lincoln, Nebraska native to finally assume control of the match which he served out for a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 victory.
In a field packed with American players, other winners included Sam Querrey who won 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 over Alejandro Falla, Ryan Sweeting 6-0, 6-2 over James Blake in Blake's first match of the year and Sergiy Stakhovsky over qualifier Robert Kendrick 6-3, 7-6.
At the Memphis International WTA event, out of the eight original Americans who entered the draw, Varvara Lepchenko became the only one left after she reached the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Sweden's Johanna Larsson. 2011 U.S. Open Mixed Doubles champion Melanie Oudin fell 6-2, 6-3 to France's Stephanie Foretz Gacon.
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