ATP Newport: Isner nastavio pobjednički niz

(Hina/EPA)

Američki tenisač John Isner (ATP - 22.) trebao je osam meč-lopti kako bi svladao Francuza Benjamina Bonzija (ATP - 48.) sa 7-6(2), 6-7(6), 7-6(5) i plasirao se u polufinale ATP turnira na travnatoj podlozi u Newportu, gdje je došao do desete uzastopne pobjede.

Isner je bio pobjednik na posljednja dva izdanja Hall of Fame Opena na kojima je sudjelovao (2017. i 2019.), a ima i pobjedničke trofeje s ovog turnira iz 2011. i 2012.

Protiv Bonzija je mogao posao završiti u dva seta, ali je Francuz u 'tie-breaku' drugog seta spasio tri meč-lopte (3-6) i nizom od pet poena odveo meč u treći set.

Odluka o pobjedniku pala je u još jednom 'tie-breaku', u kojem je Inser poveo sa 6-1, ali se Bonzi vratio do 5-6 i imao servis, no Amerikanac je osmu meč-loptu pretvorio u pobjedu za plasman u polufinale.

Za mjesto u svom petom finalu u Newportu Isner će se boriti protiv sunarodnjaka Maximea Cressyja (ATP - 41.) koji je u četvrtfinalu sa 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4 svladao Stevea Johnsona.

U petak su na rasporedu preostala dva četvrtfinala u kojima se sastaju Kazahstanac Aleksander Bublik i Britanac Andy Murray te Australci Jason Kubler i James Duckworth.

Bonzi saved three match points from 3-6 in the second-set tie-break, then erased another four from 1-6 in the third-set tie-break, including one on a miraculous backhand pass at 4-6. But Isner snatched the win after a strong return on his eighth match point.

"I got off to a good start in the [final] tie-break and I needed every single bit of it, obviously," Isner said post-match. "Eventually I was able to win. That was a crazy match, for sure.

"From 6-1 up to 6-5 after losing two serves, after that passing shot, I was thinking that this probably is not my day, truthfully. Because he played very well at 6-3 in the second-set tie-break as well. It was too good from him. I was able to hit a good return somehow, because I was all discombobulated at 6-5."