By Erik Gudris | Friday, July 22, 2016
Steve Johnson hung on long enough with top seed John Isner in an extended tiebreak to finally claim his spot in the Citi Open semifinals.
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“I have no idea (how I won). It was one in a million. I have no idea what just happened.”
That’s what Steve Johnson said just after winning a razor tight and extra long second set tiebreak over top seed John Isner that booked his place in the Citi Open semifinals in Washington, D.C.
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Last year’s semifinal at the same event between the two Americans went down to a thrilling final set tiebreak that Isner won. The expectation was that tiebreaks again would decide Friday’s quarterfinal.
It ended up being the case. But late in the first set, Isner had a chance to close things out much earlier.
Up 5-4, Isner found himself holding 0-40 on Johnson’s next service game. Johnson fought off the three set points to eventually level at 5-all.
Isner, still on the hunt for his first ever D.C. title, missed out on another set point a few games later at 6-5 before finding himself in a tiebreak. Though going up an early mini-break, Isner couldn’t keep his advantage. Johnson with solid serving and a succesful lob over the 6’10” Isner, found himself back on level terms. Late in the tiebreak, Isner then missed a passing shot that handed Johnson a set point.
The fifth seeded Johnson ripped a forehand winner to close out the set 7-6(7). Isner vented his frustration with a rare outburst of breaking his racquet that earned him a code violation.
Both men served their way into a second set tiebreak under sweltering conditions in the late afternoon. What resulted was a tense, yet entertaining battle that shifted in momentum several times.
Isner jumped out to a 6-3 lead in the tiebreak and seemed on the verge of forcing a final set. Yet Isner couldn’t close it out, including missing a sitting forehand winner that he pushed well long. Soon, the tiebreak was level at 6-all with both players then showing strong serving. Isner saved several match points while Johnson fought off set points against him.
The back and forth struggle soon went Johnson’s way. At 15-all in the tiebreak, Isner hit his first double fault of the entire match. That opened the door for Johnson now holding his sixth match point. Johnson finally won the extended tiebreak and the match when Isner sent a final forehand wide. Johnson punched the air in celebration at completing the 7-6(7), 7-6(15) victory.
Both men combined for a total 52 aces on the afternoon.
"A hundred percent focus on your serve,” Johnson said when asked what he was thinking about during the tiebreak. “If you hold serve you wont lose. That's all I can focus on. And hopefully he will miss a first serve. John has that second gear when he serves that's he untouchable. And I ahd that happen in the third set breaker last year. I got lucky today. Unfortunate for him but I took my chances and I got lucky.”
Johnson also felt a bit lucky to pull off that lob early in the first set. Isner said he felt he did some positive things in the match despite the loss and admitted he got tentative on key forehands he missed. He also gave full credit to Johnson including over that suprise winning lob.
“I love Stevie to death but I don’t think that backhand lob he hit. I don’t think he could do that all the time.”
Waiting for Johnson next is another tall, big server in Ivo Karlovic. The 37-year-old veteran and recent Newport winner earlier defeated American Jack Sock 7-6(4), 7-6(6).
Johnson was asked how his match with Isner might be similiar to the one with Karlovic tomorrow.
“Well I will be doing a lot of walking from the ad side to the deuce side for sure,” Johnson joked.