This is definately the 250 tournament you don’t expect. Having 3 top ten players (and 1 strongly “under-ranked”) in the semis is not normal. Actually this is even stranger if you think that the US Open is about to start.
From one side we are really happy to see these great players getting so far in a “minor” tournament, from another we wonder if they did a big mistake. Berdych and Tsonga are expected to play Federer and Murray in the quarters and if they reach the final this week we doubt they will be 100% fit to compete at very high level with Roger and Andy in a best of 5 match.
TSONGA- GRANOLLERS 6-1 6-2
The Frenchman dispatched Granollers in 53 minutes without conceding a single break point. There is a hint that he is getting a bit tired by doing this tournament. “I’m very happy because I played a bit less than the two previous matches and also because I played very good tennis. For me it’s good. It’s good for the rest of the tournament,” he commented.
ISNER – GOFFIN 7-6 (5) 6-3
It took 1h and 33m for Big Johny to defeat David Goffin. Isner is also employing a lot of energy in this tournament especially after defeating Klizan 4-6 6-3 7-5 in 2 hours in the first match.
“I’m glad I got through these three matches,” said Isner. “These are three matches where, on paper, I’m the favourite. I should win, so I’m glad to have gotten to the semis now.
“I know I can win this tournament, but this is a heck of a field with the final four here. For a 250 event, it’s as tough as it gets. Three guys in the Top 10 and Sam Querrey, who the only reason he’s ranked 20-something is because he was out for almost a year.”
TSONGA – ISNER HEAD 2 HEAD
2-1 for Isner and it has always been a very tough match.
QUERREY – DOLGOLOPOV 7-5 4-6 7-6 (3)
This was a 2h and 11minutes marathon with the American blasting 20 aces.
“It feels good to get that win today, and the matches are just going to get tougher,” said Querrey. “I’m going to have to keep playing better if I want to keep winning. It looks like Berdych played well today, especially the second and third sets, so it’s going to be a tough one.”
BERDYCH – DARCIS 4-6 6-2 6-0
False start from Tomas that eventually won the match in 3 sets in 1h and 46minutes. “He started playing really well, without many mistakes,” said Berdych. “I needed to change something. So I’m happy to finish the way I did. I stepped closer to the baseline; hit the ball quicker after the bounce to force him back closer to the fence. That’s the way I need to play.”
QUERREY – BERDYCH HEAD 2 HEAD
1 all. They played twice in 2008 at the US Open where Querrey trashed Berdych 6-3 6-1 6-2 in the first round. Not a sweet memory for the European.
