Isner Edges Blake To Reach Washington QFs

© Getty ImagesJohn Isner defeated fellow American James Blake for the second time in three weeks.

John Isner prevailed against fellow American James Blake 7-6(0), 1-6, 7-6(4) on Thursday evening in Washington, D.C., to reach the quarter-finals at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic.

Isner won just nine service points in the second set, dropping serve twice, but broke for a 3-1 lead in the third set. Though he conceded the advantage in the following game, he once again edged the former World No. 4 in the tie-break to claim the victory after two hours and 13 minutes.
 
The 35th-ranked Isner also defeated fellow Tampa resident Blake two weeks ago in the second Atlanta round, eventually going on to a runner-up finish (l. to Fish).

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Isner made his tour-level breakthrough four years ago at this ATP World Tour 500 tournament, reaching the final after winning all five of his matches in a third-set tie-break (l. to Roddick). Blake captured his first of 10 ATP World Tour titles at this event in 2002.

Isner next plays another past Washington finalist, No. 3 seed Viktor Troicki, who progressed with a 6-3, 6-3 win over South Africa’s Kevin Anderson. Troicki has won his two previous meetings against Isner.

In a third-round meeting between two former Top 10 players, fifth seed Fernando Verdasco defeated ninth seed Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 7-5. He took advantage of three of his four break points, while limiting Davydenko to one for eight on his opportunities.

Verdasco, a finalist last week at the clay-court tournament in Gstaad, next confronts Czech Radek Stepanek. The 54th-ranked Czech, a former World No. 8, knocked out 16th-seeded Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

American Donald Young advanced to his first ATP World Tour quarter-final since February 2008 at Memphis as he defeated countryman Michael Russell 6-3, 6-3. The pair had also met two weeks ago in Atlanta, a match won by Russell in straight sets.

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