2012 Australian Open Recap: Isner Falls on Day Five Down Under
On Day Five of the 2012 Australian Open, the last American hopeful took to the courts at Mebourne Park to keep hope alive in bringing the men’s singles Aussie title back to American soil. That will have to be put on hold as the last remaining American, the 16th-ranked John Isner from North Carolina, fell to the 18th-ranked Feliciano Lopez of Spain, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1. This will mark the first time since 1968 that no American has made it to the fourth round of the Australian Open.
"It’s very disappointing," Isner said. "That’s not a good effort from the Americans this tournament. I knew going in today I was the last one left and I wanted to keep on going, but just didn’t happen. But it’s very ugly, to be honest, to have no one in the round of 16. We’ve got to try to rectify that next time the big tournaments roll around."
Switzerland’s Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal of Spain are on track to meet in the semifinals if both advance through the next round of the 2012 Australian Open. This would mark the first time since 2005 that the two will meet on the same half of the draw. Both have yet to drop a set in the tournament; however it should be noted that Federer did have a walkover in the second round.
Healthwise, Nadal has his right knee taped due to an injury, but it does not seem to slow him down at all. He had a quick straight set win over Lukas Lacko of Slovakia, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2. Federer defeated Ivo Karlovic 7-6, 7-5, 6-3 after taking a first set tiebreaker with a lob over the almost seven foot Croatian.
“He gave me a second serve and gave me a slight chance,” Federer said. “Might have had a little bit of a lucky volley.”
Nadal had a shooting pain in his knee prior to the match which he thought would force him to withdraw from the tournament. He was, however, able to recover and continue towards his goal of victory. Nadal will advance to play Feliciano Lopez.
Tomas Berdych defeated Kevin Anderson of South Africa 7-6, 7-6, 6-1 and will now go on to play Nicolas Almagro who hails from Spain in the Final Round of 16. Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany took down Alejandro Falla of Colombia 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 to advance.
Unseeded Australian Bernard Tomic continued his run into the Final Round of 16 much to the delight of the hometown crowd. On Day Five he defeated the number 13 seed, Alexandr Dolgopolov from the Ukraine, 4-6, 7-6 (0), 7-6 (6), 2-6, 6-3.
“I’ve improved from last year, but the crowd supported me so good and are making me play good tennis,” Tomic said. “I think that’s what you need in your home Slam.”
Click here for full results of Day Five action on the men’s side of the draw from the 2012 Australian Open.
On the women’s side of play, top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark has yet to drop a set heading into the fourth round of play in her pursuit of winning a Grand Slam title. She knocked Monica Niculescu of Romania out of contention with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat.
Third-ranked Victoria Azarenka of Belarus was also a winner on the day, a 6-2, 6-4 victor over German Mona Barthel. Azarenka will now meet Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic, who defeated qualifier Nina Bratchikova, 6-1, 6-3. Azarenka was frustrated with herself knowing it took five match points to finish off Barthel, who won her lost 10 matches in Australia. “I’ve been playing in the end not brave enough to finish the match. … I had to get a little angry," Azarenka said.
Another American woman was picked off on Day Five as Christina McHale of New Jersey fell to the number 13 seed, Serbian Jelena Jankovic, 6-2, 6-0. Awaiting Jankovic in the Final Round of 16 is the top-ranked Wozniacki.
Fifth-seeded Li Na of China got an easy pass to the Round of 16 as her opponent, Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues, was forced to retire due to an ankle injury. Li Na’s win finds her against a familiar foe in the next round, 2011 Australian Open winner Kim Clijsters. Clijsters faced Li Na in the finals of last year’s Australian Open.
Click here for full results of Day Five action on the women’s side of the draw from the 2012 Australian Open.
