Isner Fires 38 Aces to Advance at U.S. Open

August 31, 2016 | By Brian Coleman
Photo credit: Matt Cohen

American John Isner powered his way into the third round of the 2016 U.S. Open, firing 38 aces and saving all four break points he faced in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(10), 6-3 victory over Belgium’s Steve Darcis on Wednesday.

Fresh off his comeback win against up and coming American Frances Tiafoe on Monday, Isner wasted no time jumping out to an early lead against Darcis. He hit 13 winners to just seven unforced errors and converted on the only break point chance he needed to take the opening set in just 24 minutes.

Darcis put up a little more resistance in the second set, but failed to convert on either of his two break point chances. Isner would hit 10 aces and notch the set’s lone break point to open up a commanding two-sets-to-love lead.

Darcis would sneak out a third-set tiebreaker, but that would be all, as Isner converted the fourth set’s only break point to win the 22nd U.S. Open match of his career.

Isner will take on Kyle Edmund of Great Britain next.

Joining Isner in the third round are fellow big hitters ninth-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and 23rd seed Kevin Anderson who also won on Wednesday.

Former U.S. Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki shook off another slow start Wednesday, fighting back from an early deficit to upset ninth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-4 to reach the third round in Flushing Meadows.

Things looked bleak early, as Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S. Open champion, raced out to a 4-0 lead and held a game point for 5-0 in the opening set. But Wozniacki turned the tide, fighting back to hold to get herself on the board at 1-4.

From there, the match belonged to the 74th-ranked Dane. She won the final six games of the first set and nailed down two break points in the second set, winning 12 of the match’s final 16 games, to book her spot in the U.S. Open third-round.

“I was actually feeling the ball really well, she just started off on fire. I just needed to keep fighting and keep going, and hopefully I’ll find a way to change the score,” said Wozniacki. “My game plan from the start was to stay close to the baseline and move the ball around and make her run. and play to my strengths. But she started off well and I was too a little far behind the baseline. But as the match progressed I just tried to step in a little more.”

Wozniacki now moves into a third-round showdown with Monica Niculescu, who rolled past fellow Romanian Ana Bogdan, 6-0, 6-1.

Former U.S. Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki shook off another slow start Wednesday in Flushing Meadows, fighting back from an early deficit to upset ninth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-4 to reach the third round of the 2016 U.S. Open


Brian Coleman

 Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com

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