Isner upsets del Potro in semis, Serena dumps Li
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Unseeded American John Isner rallied from losing a first-set tiebreaker to upset seventh-seeded Juan Martin del Potro 6-7 (4), 7-6 (9), 6-3 in a grueling Western & Southern Open semifinal on Saturday.
Isner, who fell from No. 20 to 22 last week, will return to the top 20 after a stimulating Cincinnati run that includes beating three straight top-10 players for the first time in his career while earning his second Masters 1000 series final appearance and first in Cincinnati. His previous Masters 1000 final appearance was at Indian Wells in 2012.
“It’s awesome to be at this stage again,” said Isner, who beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals and No. 8 Richard Gasquet in the second round. “I’ve been playing pretty well this season, but this tournament is where I’ve really started to put it all together. I’m playing pretty well in all facets of the game.”
Isner, in his first appearance in the tournament’s semifinals, had been 0-4 against the Argentine. He’ll play third-seeded Rafael Nadal, who beat sixth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych 7-5, 7-6 (4) to reach the tournament final for the first time in nine appearances.
“This is one tournament that I’ve never been able to play well, so it’s something special to play well in a place I never did in the past,” said Nadal, 3-0 in his career against Isner.
Top-ranked Serena Williams also will be making her first career appearance in the event’s championship match after ousting defending champion Li Na, 7-5, 7-5, in the first women’s semifinal. Williams, seeking her ninth title of the year, advanced when Li double-faulted on match point. Williams improved to 60-3 this season.
“I really would not have predicted myself being in the finals here at all, so it’s definitely pretty exciting for me,” said Williams, who clinched the 2013 Emirates Airline US Open Series women’s title with the win and can earn a US$1 million bonus if she wins the US Open. “Really unexpected for me, too. I came in here not playing my best, and now I’m in the final. It’s just almost weird.”
Williams will play second-seeded Victoria Azarenka in the final. Azarenka beat 14th seed Jelena Jankovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in a semifinal that featured 23 service breaks in 27 games.
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