By Erik Gudris | Friday, August 14, 2015
France's Jeremy Chardy continued his perfect win streak against John Isner by edging the American in a third set tiebreak in Montreal.
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John Isner has made a good living by winning a lot of tiebreaks in his career. But it was France's Jeremy Chardy who won a pivotal third set tiebreak at the Rogers Cup in Montreal.
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Chardy did it by saving seven match points against him in a second set tiebreak en route to reaching the ATP 1000 event's semifinals.
Early on, it looked like Isner might advance again due to his prowess in tiebreaks. The 16th seeded Isner, who had never beaten Chardy in four previous meetings, edged the Frenchman in the opening set tiebreak 7-6(9).
Isner then took an early 3-1 lead in the second set before rain halted play for over an hour. When the players returned to court, Chardy managed to break back and soon level the set at 3-all.
Soon, a second tiebreak was needed. Both men enjoyed winning points by serving big and then setting up a winning forehand. Yet, it was Isner who began accumulating match points.
Chardy responded by saving five match points against him the tiebreak. That included one on Isner's racquet that Chardy fought off with a return winner. Chardy then turned things around and began holding set points for himself. Though Isner saved a few, Chardy hit a deft passing shot at 13-all to hold a fourth set point.
With a potent serve, Chardy then closed out the tiebreak 7-6(13) to the delight of the Montreal crowd.
The final set would require a decisive tiebreak. But not before Isner fought off early break points against him to hold for 2-all.
Isner, later leading at 6-5, pounced on a nervy looking Chardy by coming into net on his return to finish off a volley. That gave Isner a sixth match point, but Chardy saved it with a volley winner.
Isner, earned a seventh match point with another volley winner. But Chardy denied Isner again with a smash winner before eventually holding serve for 6-all.
With neither man able to break the other's serve, the set came down to one more tiebreak. At this stage, Isner looked the more weary and looked hampered in his movement due to a taped knee.
At 4-all, Chardy earned the key mini-break when Isner lunged for a backhand but hit it well long. Not looking back, Chardy soon held a first match point of his own.
With a final big serve, Chardy celebrated the hard-fought 6-7(9), 7-6(13), 7-6(4) victory that sent him into his first ever ATP 1000 event semifinal.
Chardy also made some ATP history with his heroics in Montreal.