John Isner recovered from the loss of the first set to defeat Australian John Millman 4-6, 7-6, 6-4.
Millman had played an excellent first set, winning five points of the Isner first serve and and breaking from one of three opportunities earned. The American could not muster a single one, and in fact lost more points against his opponent’s serve, with Millman looking extremely comfortable.
Millman has moved his ranking up by eighty places. He was ranked 151 when he faced Roger Federer in Brisbane, but is now 71. His results on hardcourts in particular on American Challengers meant he was well informed on facing Isner.
Millman enjoyed success that is rarely consistent against Isner’s serve in the second set, breaking again from four break points. The Georgia native, though proved viciously effective, breaking from his one opportunity. The points remained typically short, as is often the case with Isner.
The men headed to a tiebreak, a situation that immediately benefited Isner. He is 31-27 on the year in tiebreaks, and has a dominating 272-158 record overall. The tiebreak thus followed the formula, a single mistake from Millman gave the American the advantage, and he did not relinquish it, levelling affairs at a set a piece.
Isner then restored the normal service in the final set, with a dominating serving display, hitting eight aces, and dropping just three points on serve in the set. Millman stayed with him, but eventually succumbed, Isner once again capitalising on the single break point offered to him.
Isner now goes on to face top seed and undefeated in Beijing Novak Djokovic, who eased past Zhe Zhang for the loss of three games 6-1, 6-2. Djokovic leads the head-to-head with Isner 7-2. Djokovic has won the last four encounters, with Isner’s last win coming in Cincinnati in 2013.
In the other side of the draw, Rafael Nadal’s draw opened further with Fabio Fognini surprising David Goffin 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. He faces Jack Sock tomorrow, with Fognini now set to play Pablo Cuevas.
