Isner Hits Del Potro Off The Court To Reach Miami Final
John Isner might be playing the tennis of his life. The 32-year-old American stunned Juan Martin del Potro on Friday, upsetting the Argentine 6-1, 7-6(2) in their semi-final at the Miami Open presented by Itau.
The American did little wrong against Del Potro, who was on a 15-match win streak and leads the ATP World Tour with 21 wins this season. Isner's serve, as usual, was dominant, but his groundstrokes and volleys carried him to victory. He swung freely and played aggressively, finishing with 39 winners to only 10 from Del Potro.
Isner moved into his fourth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final (0-3; 2016 Paris, 2013 Cincinnati, 2012 Indian Wells) and guaranteed himself a return to the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings, at No. 10, when the new rankings are released on Monday. He will face either Alexander Zverev of Germany or Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta for the opportunity to call himself a “Masters 1000 titlist”.
The last time Del Potro lost was more than a month ago, on 23 February against #NextGenATP American Frances Tiafoe at the Delray Beach Open. Since then, the Argentine had captured back-to-back titles in Acapulco and Indian Wells. Del Potro had to save three match points against No. 1 Roger Federer in the BNP Paribas Open final to win his maiden Masters 1000 crown.
But Isner had a clear game plan and executed it perfectly. He teed off on any short ball or serve lacking, and he opened the court up well – targetting Del Potro's backhand before hitting to his forehand corner, or vice versa.
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Isner broke in the third game, pounding Del Potro's backhand before hitting a forehand volley winner at net. After only 27 minutes, he had a one-set lead, thanks to 19 winners, compared to zero from his opponent.
Del Potro, behind a boisterous Argentine crowd on Key Biscayne, recovered in the second set. But Isner was too strong, too aggressive, too confident. He never faced a break point all match, and in the tie-break, his volleys, including a backhand dropper on match point, pushed him into Sunday's final.
DID YOU KNOW?
Isner leads all players in reaching four Masters 1000 semi-finals during the past 12 months (2017 Rome, Cincinnati, Paris; 2018 Miami).