Second Time is the Charm

Coverage

2011

Atlanta Tennis Championships

Monday, 25 July 2011 05:59

Second Time is the Charm

Written by Christina Ward

Too Many Chances
After his semifinal win, John Isner said he had found his confidence and did not want to let it go, but Isner might have lost his newfound confidence already after losing a second straight Atlanta final to Mardy Fish after being up a set and a break.

Isner had a chance to close out the match in the second set tiebreak when leading 5-1, and then 6-4, with two championship points. Fish said about being match point down, “When you’re in that position, it’s almost over. I played some good points. I don’t think he missed any first serves there. I stuck some returns and put some balls in play.”

Isner also had two break points at 2-3 in the third set to get back on serve, but Fish was able to hold and pulled away with the match to win 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-2. Fish said of the match, “I didn’t necessarily change anything tactically. I took care of my serve games a little bit better once I lost serve in the first game of the second.” Fish also said, “I played a good third set, but I was lucky to win the second set. I felt like I played better and better throughout the match.” This is Fish’s sixth ATP World Tour title.

Possible Illness
PTN asked Isner how he felt physically during the match, and Isner admitted to having an upset stomach and not eating anything on court. “Physically, I ran out of gas in the third set. I just did not feel my best. Maybe that was the heat. I don’t know what that was, but that certainly was the difference in the third set.”

Isner was clearly very disappointed during his post-match press conference. “I had a match point on my serve,” Isner said. “You can’t ask for much more than that. That’s how it goes.” Isner still felt he had a good week because he was able to win a tight match against James Blake in the second round, but he said, “I really, really wish I could’ve won this title. It wasn’t meant to be.”

All five finals Isner has lost have been to fellow Americans: two to Sam Querrey, two straight Atlanta finals to Fish, and one to Andy Roddick. “I’d rather see a foreigner in the final than keep coming up short when playing a friend,” said Isner.

On the Road Again
Atlanta was the first stop on the U.S. Open Series tour, and the next stop for Fish is this week’s tournament in his home of Los Angeles, California. Isner will return to the tour in Washington, DC, in a few weeks.

Doubles Champions
In the doubles final, Australian Matthew Ebden and American Alex Bogomolov, Jr., defeated the German team of Matthias Bachinger and Frank Moser 3-6, 7-5, 10-8. In the first set, Bachinger and Moser came back from 0-3 to win the next six games. In the second set, Ebden and Bogomolov were broken at love when serving for the set at 4-5. They broke right back at love and served out the second set on their second try for 7-5 and took the super tiebreak.
Ebden partnered with Bogolomov for the first time at the last minute, and this is only the third tournament for Bachinger and Moser and their first final together.

This is the second straight doubles title for the Australian Matthew Ebden after winning the title in Newport with good friend Ryan Harrison. Ebden said that he and Harrison will try and play doubles together at the U.S. Open.

See more photos from Sunday, July 24 by CLICKING HERE