USA: TENNIS - Russian Mikhail Youzhny survives barrage of aces to beat American John Isner at U.S. Open

Record ID: 572453

  • Title: USA: TENNIS - Russian Mikhail Youzhny survives barrage of aces to beat American John Isner at U.S. Open
  • Date: 7th September 2010
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 5, 2010) (REUTERS) MAIN PLAZA AT THE U.S. OPEN CROWDS ENTERING THE U.S. OPEN DURING THE EVENING SESSION VARIOUS OF ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM DURING THE EVENING SESSION JOHN ISNER, AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER SEEDED NO. 18 AT THE U.S. OPEN, ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE AFTER BEING DEFEATED BY YOUZHNY (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN ISNER, AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER SEEDED NO. 18 AT THE U.S. OPEN, SAYING: "It's difficult playing on that court. It's the first time I ever played at night on that court. The wind kind of swirls around. I don't know what it was. I just didn't feel entirely comfortable out there. I feel like I should have played with my forehand more, and I didn't. Like you said, I wasn't going for my shots as much because I didn't feel like I could hit them big and hit them with a good margin. Really wasn't there tonight. But a lot of that, again, you got to give credit to him because he did what he needed to do to win." (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN ISNER, AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER SEEDED NO. 18 AT THE U.S. OPEN, SAYING: "Yeah, it's disappointing. I mean, I felt going into the match that I had -- I thought I was going to win. I take the court with that mentality every time. I would have liked to have played better out there. That being said, nothing beats playing a night match at the US Open on that court. You know, I'll get back in that situation and I'll play better. With experience, as long as I keep putting myself in the right situation, doing that, I'll play better next time." ISNER AT NEWS CONFERENCE MIKHAIL YOUZHNY, RUSSIAN TENNIS PLAYER SEEDED NO. 12 AT THE U.S. OPEN, ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MIKHAIL YOUZHNY, RUSSIAN TENNIS PLAYER SEEDED NO. 12 AT THE U.S. OPEN, SAYING: "No, it was a good atmosphere, but of course it's better to play not against guy from USA here. Because when this whole crowd -- not against you -- but for your opponent, it's tough. Anyway, we are only two players on the court. Yeah, maybe crowds can help a little bit, but not all the time." NEWS CONFERENCE ATTENDEE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MIKHAIL YOUZHNY, RUSSIAN TENNIS PLAYER SEEDED NO. 12 AT THE U.S. OPEN, SAYING: "Everybody knows he has injury before this tournament, and I think he's not recovered 100 percent. So that's why sometimes he's moving looks like not so well. But sometimes he starts moving normal. It was a tough moment. But when we play in Montreal, it was another story. He come after final -- I think he play final before in Washington -- so he was a little bit tired. But it was, I feel, pretty the same match. It was really close." PEOPLE WATCHING THE MATCH ON THE BIG SCREEN
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAB7185HYMHW4BBW9TK5DPVWIAA
  • Story Text: Mikhail Youzhny withstood a barrage of 33 aces to topple American giant John Isner 6-4 6-7 7-6 6-4 on Sunday (September 5) and reach the fourth round of the U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows.
    The 12th-seeded Russian cashed in four of 12 break point opportunities against the erratic Isner. Youzhny dropped the second-set tiebreaker 9-7 and lost his first two serves in the next decider before battling back to win three points in a row from 4-3 down and claiming the set with his fourth ace of the match.
    The 6-foot, 9-inch (2.06 m) Isner is best known for his record-breaking match at this year's Wimbledon, where he prevailed 70-68 in the fifth set against Nicolas Mahut in a first-round marathon that was the longest tennis match ever.
    The 28-year-old Youzhny made sure there would be no fifth set at the National Tennis Center by breaking Isner in the third game of the fourth set and serving it out, finishing the three-hour, 18-minute tilt with a forehand volley.
    At a news conference after the match, Isner said that he found it difficult playing at Arthur Ashe at night.
    "It's difficult playing on that court. It's the first time I ever played at night on that court. The wind kind of swirls around. I don't know what it was. I just didn't feel entirely comfortable out there. I feel like I should have played with my forehand more, and I didn't. Like you said, I wasn't going for my shots as much because I didn't feel like I could hit them big and hit them with a good margin. Really wasn't there tonight. But a lot of that, again, you got to give credit to him because he did what he needed to do to win," said Isner.
    Isner contributed to his own downfall with 61 unforced errors. Isner's defeat left 20th seed Sam Querrey as the last U.S. man standing. Querrey beat 14th seed Nicolas Almagro of Spain to set up a fourth-round match against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, who upset fourth seed Andy Murray of Britain in the biggest shock of the championship.
    The center court crowd tried to lift Isner but Youzhny's steadiness and ability to deal with the towering American's serve, clocked as fast as 144 mph (232 kph), prevailed. After the match, the Russian gave his unique salute to the crowd and later said it was his way of thanking the audience.
    "It was a good atmosphere, but of course it's better to play not against guy from USA here. Because when this whole crowd -- not against you -- but for your opponent, it's tough. Anyway, we are only two players on the court. Yeah, maybe crowds can help a little bit, but not all the time," said Youzhny of the crowd at Arthur Ashe.
    Youzhny, a U.S. Open semi-finalist in 2006, advanced to a round-of-16 meeting against Tommy Robredo, one of six Spanish men in the last 16.
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