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By Andrew Jones | Thursday, February 15, 2018

 
John Isner

Radu Albot recorded the best win of his career defeating John Isner 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3 at the New York Open.

Photo credit: BNP Paribas Masters

NEW YORK—Hoping a rare trip to the Empire State in February would kickstart his 2018 season, John Isner on Wednesday evening instead left Nassau Coliseum with more questions about his current form.

The big-serving American couldn't find the consistency required to beat the scrappy journeyman Radu Albot, as the Moldovan recorded the best win of his career to defeat Isner 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3 in the second round of the New York Open.

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Albot, who had never beaten anyone in the Top 20 before this match, showed terrific determination and calm by handling the University of Georgia alum's formidable serve while keeping his concentration on his own service games.

That solid mental approach from Albot was present from the start, as the world No. 91 was sharp in the first set tiebreak with his all-court game and closed it out with a delightful backhand passing shot winner.

And the much unheralded Albot secured the match's first break and took a 3-1 lead in the second set. A frustrated Isner was in search of instant solutions, and received that after changing his racquet to reel off five straight games to win the middle set 6-3.

Just when it seemed the tall North Carolina native would take over the third set, it was Albot using a head clearing bathroom break to reverse the match back in his control.

The crucial sixth game saw Isner again devoid of his consistent big serving deliveries and not stable on the baseline, as an impatient backhand down the line was wide and gave Albot the only break in the last set.

And the 5'9" Chisinau native, listed as a foot shorter than Isner, was able to hold his composure all the way to the end, as the No.3 American couldn't handle an outwide serve on match point to give Albot a massive victory.

"I never beat somebody ranked higher than John is ranked today," Albot said. "I had some chances before, I had a match against Goffin, last year in Switzerland, where I lost from match points, 6-2, 6-7, 6-7. I didn't take that chance that time."

The energetic grinder discussed how he needed a recharge before the final set to swing the contest in his favor.

"I just wanted to get out a little bit, because I was a bit frustrated," he said. "I loss five games in a row, so I wanted to just go out of the court and come back maybe a little back more calm."

A despondent Isner was perplexed over the defeat. But he did not cite the new surface at Nassau as a reason why he is still winless at ATP level in 2018 after just three tournaments played, as a Davis Cup victory over Dusan Lajovic is his lone triumphant so far this year.

"Yeah, I don’t know," Isner told Tennis Now about the loss. "He had the momentum, I had the momentum. I just wasn’t able to sustain it, which is disappointing. A lot of times, I have been in a match like that, I win the second set and start playing better, I carry that over to the third. But I didn’t do that tonight."




Unlike Isner, there were no issues for the other star of the New York Open's night three session, as Kei Nishikori routinely defeated Evgeny Donskoy 6-2, 6-4. It was a banner day, like Albot, for Spanish journeyman Adrian Menendez-Maceiras, as the 32-year-old secured his first ATP World Tour quarterfinal result by defeating the talented but inconsistent Jeremy Chardy 7-5, 7-6 (5).

But it wasn't all bad news for French players in the second round of this inaugural event, as Adrian Mannarino advanced earlier in the day to the last eight after German Peter Gojowczyk retired from injury down 4-1 in the final set.

Andrew Jones is a Brooklyn-based tennis writer covering the New York Open for Tennis Now. Please follow Andrew on Twitter.


 

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