Americans Isner, Sock Win Washington, D.C. Openers

Wozniacki Forced To Retire Up A Set Against Stosur

July 21, 2016 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff

Top ranked American John Isner cruised in his first match at the Citi Open on Wednesday, moving past Australia’s James Duckworth 6-3, 6-4 to reach the tournament’s third round.

Isner, a three-time finalist, was pleased with his opening round performance.

“Last year I did well, and I’m excited about this year,” said Isner. “A lot of times I can get tripped up on my first match. I’m glad I got through it.”

Isner fired 14 aces and won 92 percent of the points on his first serve to move past Duckworth in just over an hour.

“To win here would be great. This tournament is very special to me,” said Isner. “I was virtually unranked and made the finals at this tournament in 2007, so I was very fortunate. I’ve been back every year since except for 2012. It’s a tough tournament to win.”

In the third round, Isner will square off against 15th seed Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus. Baghdatis ousted John Millman 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday.

In a battle of two of the game’s future stars, seventh-seed Alexander Zverev showed that he was a little further along than American Taylor Fritz, advancing to the third round with a 6-4, 6-2 victory.

“Taylor has great potential for the future. That’s obvious,” said Zverev afterwards. “We’re all very young and there is room for improvement for both of us.”

Zverev will take on Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri next, after Jaziri upset ninth-seed Kevin Anderson 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(3) on Wednesday.

The tournament’s second seed, Frenchman Gael Monfils, had no problems in his opener. Monfils rolled past Yen-Hsun Ly 6-3, 6-2 to book his spot in the third round, where he will play 16th seed Borna Coric.

The Croat beat Japan’s Yuichi Sugita 6-4, 6-4 in his second round match.

Americans Jack Sock and Ryan Harrison pushed through as well on Wednesday. The sixth-seeded Sock beat Lukas Lacko 7-6(1), 6-4, while Harrison upended 10th seed Viktor Troicki 7-6(4), 6-4. Sock will play Daniel Evans next and Harrison will meet compatriot Steve Johnson.

The other Citi Open winners on the men’s side Wednesday included third seed Bernard Tomic, 13th seed Ivo Karlovic and 14th seed Gilles Muller.

On the women’s side, top seed Samantha Stosur trailed Caroline Wozniacki 5-7, 4-3 when Wozniacki was forced to retire.

“I just hit a backhand and felt this sharp pain,” said Wozniacki afterwards. “It just got worse after that. Every time I’d hit a backhand, I’d feel the pain.”

Stosur will play American Jessica Pegula next. Pegula ousted fellow American Christina McHale 7-5, 6-2 on Wednesday.

Fourth-seed Kristina Mladenovic, sixth-seed Yulia Putintseva and seventh-seed Yanina Wickmayer rounded out the women victors in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. 


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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