Isner puts US in Davis Cup last 8
Print Edition
THE court surface didn’t make a bit of difference to the US — its Davis Cup team is through to the quarterfinals.
John Isner defeated Australia’s Bernard Tomic 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4) yesterday to clinch a 3-1 victory in the World Group first-round tie on grass at Kooyong.
Based on an agreement between the countries and the International Tennis Federation, that surface was supposed to be hardcourt. Although all three groups involved forgot about the deal forged in 1999, Isner, the Bryan brothers and Jack Sock made sure it didn’t matter.
Isner, who beat Sam Groth on Friday in the opening singles, finished the match against Tomic with a service winner and ace. The scheduled reverse singles between Groth and Sock was not played.
The Americans will next host the winner of Croatia and Belgium in the quarterfinals. Croatia led that series 2-1 going into yesterday’s reverse singles.
Bob and Mike Bryan beat Australia team captain Lleyton Hewitt — who came out of a 41-day retirement — and John Peers 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 in doubles to put the US in front on Saturday.
Hewitt, who retired for the first time at the Australian Open in January, had replaced an ill Nick Kyrgios in the Australian squad but didn’t play in either of the opening singles. On Friday, Isner beat Groth and Tomic defeated Sock to leave the tie level at 1-1 after the first day.
Yesterday, during the match, Tomic appeared to take issue with Kyrgios’ absence due to a virus.
Midway through the second set and struggling against Isner, Tomic was heard on courtside microphones telling Hewitt during a changeover: “Nick’s sitting down in Canberra ... he’s sick ... two times Nick’s done it.”
After the match, Tomic left no doubt he was upset with Kyrgios, saying he will lose respect for his Davis Cup teammate if he plays the next ATP tour event.
“He didn’t come to Czech (Republic, last year) and had stress fractures and somehow played Indian Wells and felt good,” Tomic said. “If he plays Indian Wells, then he’s definitely lost a little bit of my respect.”
Hewitt defended Krygios. “Nick came down here and gave everything he had to try to be available and there’s no doubt he was sick,” Hewitt said.
In Colombo, China completed its clean sweep against Pakistan in a Davis Cup tie, winning both singles yesterday.
Wu Di beat Pakistan’s M Abid by 6-1, 6-0, while Zhang Ze defeated Yasir Khan 6-3,6-0.
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