Open Thread: Washington Semifinal -- #1 Andy Roddick vs. John Isner
by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 5:30 PM EDT
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After the garbage that was the del Potro-Gonzalez semifinal, the Washington crowd will hopefully have the day salvaged by the night session, in which top seed Andy Roddick takes on unseed John Isner in a battle of ace-happy Americans. It's also a rematch of their 2007 final here in Washington, which is the only time the two have played one another before tonight.
Feel free to awe at the big serving or bemoan the lack of any point lasting longer than four shots. All opinions and sides are welcome. I'll especially like you if you say something about how terrible that first semifinal was too, because...yeesh.
The match starts at 7 PM EST, and is airing on ESPN2 in the US.
See y'all here.
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By the way
I hope for the winner of this match to double-bagel Del Potro in the final! He’s not one of my favorites anyway, his game’s extremely boring, and he deserves a beating after stinking up the place today.
Agreed, agreed, and agreed.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Can't be any worse...
Well this match for sure can’t be any worse than the earlier SF or the LA women’s match between Cirstea and Stosur…
Ominous looking skies here, hope rain doesn’t make an appearance…
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who won Cirstea-Stosur, BTW?
hmm?
Andy shouldn’t baby too much here. Isner’s forehand is more potent these days.
by Soy Latte, Double Shot on Aug 8, 2009 7:19 PM EDT reply actions
Stosur in straight sets.
AND I gave Darren Cahill a tidbit about Stosur losing her four previous finals even though she won the first set every time. If he uses that on air, lemme know!
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Very Easy Hold For Roddick...
…shocker.
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Isner needs to get some free points off his serve if he’s saying he’s tired before the match and he wants to stay in this.
Definitely. Even though he’s the king of 7-6 in the third (7 of his 11 wins in Washington have come in that form), straight sets would be to his advantage.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Isner isn’t putting much on his groundstrokes at all, he needs to step that up or he could be in for a quick night
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Two break points saved by Roddick.
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Pair of love holds to 3-2
That’s more what I would expect.
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VERY nice slice approach down the line there by Roddick.
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KILL HIM ANDY!
Seriously, Isner has a respectable game, can’t hate him for just being alive anymore.
LOL, how generous.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 7:36 PM EDT up reply actions
interesting that stands are packed ...
… in DC, but nowhere near that in LA.
by Soy Latte, Double Shot on Aug 8, 2009 7:31 PM EDT reply actions
I swear the crowd for Radwanska-Cirstea barely cracked triple digits.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions
The DC crowds have always been amazing, and the L.A. crowds just about always suck :D.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 7:36 PM EDT up reply actions
True. The crowds are decent at Indian Wells though, and (were) good at San Diego. Just an LA thing I guess. They’re all too busy buying purse dogs.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions
returns back in play
= points for Roddick
by Soy Latte, Double Shot on Aug 8, 2009 7:32 PM EDT reply actions
7 games in 24 minutes. Not wasting a lot of time out there.
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Andy gets his first look at a break point…
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And Isner survives, even with a second serve.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Great running
pass and putaway backhand from Andy.
by Soy Latte, Double Shot on Aug 8, 2009 7:42 PM EDT reply actions
Ballsy drop shot from Isner there.
And by ballsy I mean “dumb, but he got away with it.”
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Very good
He doesn’t seem nervous at all.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions
140 mph from Roddick.
Fastest serve I’ve seen this week.
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Absolutely. I don’t know that it was on the air anywhere, but Isner-Berdych was good too.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm rooting for Isner
I like to see new guys do well.
Isner is only winning 76% of points on his first serve.
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WOW
Hell of a running forehand pass off of a nice Isner volley to give Roddick his first set/break point.
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Someone just shouted “He’s no Federer, Andy, you can do it!”
Backhanded support is always the most meaningful.
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You’re too kind ;)
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Minibreak for Isner
Easy forehand long by Roddick gives Isner 3-2.
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If it was, it wasn’t an obvious one.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Didn't get rattled by that netcord...
Great composure by Isner for 4-2
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Wow, hell of a half volley for a 6’9’’ guy.
5-2 Isner
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And then a phenomenal slice that caught Andy off guard for another minibreak.
6-2 Isner.
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7-3 Isner takes the first.
Utterly incredible stuff from him, and the first set Roddick’s lost since one you may remember. You know, that 16-14 one.
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Just announced...
…it’s a sell out here in Washington, 7,500.
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Roddick needs to convert on this break point here.
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Too casual from Isner on that second break point, Roddick breaks for 1-0.
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Isner just about killed ten spectators with that smash.
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Isner and 3rd set tie breakers
Isner is gonna have to battle here, as Andy is definitely looking ready to rumble. But, Isner is 7-0 in 3rd set tb’s in Washington. That is just incredible…
Absolutely incredible. 7 of his 11 career wins in DC have come that way.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions
That kind of clutch bodes well for Isner in terms of slams – he’s gonna make a huge jump in the rankings this week no matter what – good for him…
by the fan child on Aug 8, 2009 8:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Absolutely, but he doesn’t seem to have the same fight so far in his career when playing outside the US.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Noted…American tennis definitely doesn’t travel well – luckily they won’t have to travel until after Labor day…
by the fan child on Aug 8, 2009 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions
He pretty much sealed the set there…time for a decider…
by the fan child on Aug 8, 2009 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions
2-4 15-40...
Two more break points for Roddick to go up another break
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And he does
This is the best Roddick has looked all week.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Set point Roddick
…and a backhand clips the back of the line for 6-2.
We’re going three, people.
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Set Point for Roddick...
…and a backhand clips the back of the line for 6-2.
We’re going three, people.
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Predictions?
I say Roddick, 6-4
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I think he'd have a shot in a breaker
But early break against and he’s toast.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Quick 0-30 for Roddick on Isner’s first service game, this could be all she wrote.
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That was practically a serve.
From the baseline, right in the corner of the ad-side box.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 8:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Johnny so clutch.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Roddick is challenging, but that looked good to me.
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Shows what I know.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Second break point saved by Isner.
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And Isner Holds
That was huge.
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What happened there?
Missed whatever happened with Roddick’s hand…
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 8:55 PM EDT up reply actions
HA
That missed drop shot was almost reminiscent of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7MQQ34Z1TU
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Baby crying between serves
Glad Isner didn’t double fault.
2 holds down, 4 to go for Isner. Not bad.
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Well said – a break for Isner looks very unlikely…If he gets his return game dialed in, he could be even more dangerous on the hard courts…great match so far…
by the fan child on Aug 8, 2009 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Some real nice finesse from Roddick.
His slice is very underrated.
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The View from the Press Box
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Man that’s pixelated, almost looks like a painting.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions
As Much As I want Isner to get a big win...
I also want to see Roddick v. Del Potro…
With how bad del Potro looked today, I’m thinking this is a de facto final.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, but he wasn’t tested today – he’ll rise to a challenge – it should be a fun match…I think Andy’s looking more determined though…
by the fan child on Aug 8, 2009 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions
3-3
Halfway to the tiebreak…
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Tougher lob than it might have looked like on TV, but still a bad miss by Isner.
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4 Holds Down, 2 To Go For Isner
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Moment of truth...
4-4, Ad-Roddick
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Nice volley by Isner that even a Gimelstobian dive from Roddick can’t get back.
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Nice body serve saves the first.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions
But an inside out forehand misses on the second, break to Roddick for 6-5.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Aug 8, 2009 9:41 PM EDT up reply actions
And Roddick holds to love, wins 6-7(3), 6-2, 7-5
Hell of a match by both.
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Thanks for being here folks...
…we’ll do another open thread for the final tomorrow, 3 PM EST Sunday.
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