Rinse and Repeat

Coverage

2011

Atlanta Tennis Championships

Rinse and Repeat

Sunday, 24 July 2011 07:29

Rinse and Repeat

Written by Christina Ward

Similar Moves
Saturday’s Semifinal between John Isner and Gilles Muller was reminiscent of their second round match last year with both men very dominant on their own serve. The only thing that separated the two in the first set was Isner’s break of Muller’s serve on a double fault at 5-5. Isner had two break points, again at 5-5 in the second set but was not able to capitalize. The American played a poor tiebreak, which Muller won 7-3. After the match, Isner said he did not panic after losing the second set and that he felt he returned well in the third. He won 80 percent of Muller’s second serve points in the third set to take the match, 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-1, and make his second straight Atlanta final.

Isner also said that the difference between the beginning of the year, when he had a string of losses, and the last few weeks (during which he won a title in Newport) is that he feels like his confidence is back. “It’s not so much something I’ve been working on in practice, it’s something simple like confidence. I’m not the fastest mover but I feel like I’ve been moving well this week and that comes from having a clear head and making the right decisions on the court. I’ve been waiting for this feeling for four or five months now and now that I’ve got it I don’t want to let it go.”

Isner said that he feels more rested for the final this year than last year because last year he was playing in the Doubles Semifinal after playing the Singles Semifinal.

Teacher vs Student
Mardy Fish was not ready for a changing of the American guard just yet. In the Semifinal against Ryan Harrison, ten years his junior, Fish dominated the match from the beginning. Even the usually emotive Harrison was very subdued as he realized that Fish was playing too well. Fish took control of most of the points from the baseline and the net and defeated Harrison, 6-2, 6-4. Fish said today’s game is dominated more by older players in their mid- to late-20s because the game is more physically demanding now, and players have to be extremely fit and strong throughout the year to be successful.

Looking Ahead to the Finals
The Singles Final between Fish and Isner could be a long affair, as all three of their previous meetings went to at least 7-5 in the third set, with Fish leading the head-to-head 2-1. Isner said that on this hard court the balls often skid when they hit the line, but, when they don’t, the balls bounce very high, which he said works to his advantage especially when he hits a forehand. Fish told the media he does not think the heat will play a role in the final as he likes to play in the heat and Isner lives in Florida and is not a stranger to the hot temperatures either.

Fish said that he has noticed how Isner’s improvement in the last few weeks is similar to his own run last year to the Newport and Atlanta titles, but he hopes the final outcome is in his favor this year. This will be the first 2010 final repeated in 2011 and the first all-American final of the year.

Isner is not the only one looking to win his second straight title. The Australian Matthew Ebden, who won the doubles title in Newport with Ryan Harrison, is looking to win again this week with another American, Alex Bogomolov, Jr. They will play the German team of Mattias Bachinger and Frank Moser on Sunday.

See more photos from Saturday, July 23 by CLICKING HERE