Isner exacts revenge
"Marathon Man" John Isner remains mentally worn down after a record-shattering 11-hour Wimbledon triumph but he had enough Tuesday to beat the man who ousted him in June at the ATP Washington Classic.
The fifth-seeded American fired 15 aces to defeat Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (10/8) and reach the third round at the 1.4 million-dollar hard court tournament but brushed aside the idea of a revenge-minded victory.
"It wasn't like a revenge factor at all," Isner said. "I didn't think about that at all. I treated it like any other match."
Isner's epic three-day opening-round Wimbledon victory over France's Nicolas Mahut - which featured a 70-68 fifth set that alone was longer than any prior match - was followed by a loss to de Bakker in which Isner won only five games.
But the Wimbledon aftermath for Isner has become a fatiguing series of questions and jokes as the 25-year-old American with one of the most powerful serves in tennis tries to make his name for something more than longevity.
"I'm trying to (put it behind me), but I'm feeling it," a weary Isner said. "Mentally I'm a bit worn out answering questions about it, hearing jokes every single day.
"But I can't escape it."
Isner, who will meet Belgian Xavier Malisse on Thursday for a quarterfinal spot, said he has exchanged e-mails with Mahut since their historic match but has not followed his results.
Isner, who won his first ATP title in January at Auckland, improved to an ATP-best 25-14 in tie-breakers this year thanks to the Dutchman's double fault to end the first set and the last of Isner's 15 aces on his third match point.
"It wasn't pretty," Isner said. "Not much was working right."
US second seed Andy Roddick cruised into the third round, the three-time Washington champion beating Slovenian qualifier Grega Zemlja 6-4, 6-4 in 84 minutes by winning the only two break points of the match.
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