Americans keep on rolling as Isner, Opelka advance to Atlanta quarters

Two big-serving Americans, John Isner and Reilly Opelka, kept the American flag flying high with second-round wins at the BB&T Atlanta Open on Wednesday. Isner, the three-time defending champion, eased through his match against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 6-0, while the 18-year-old Opelka kept his impressive run going at the expense of third seed Kevin Anderson.

Opelka was undoubtedly the biggest story of the day. The 2015 junior Wimbledon champion picked up his second career ATP-level match win and second already this week by saving two match points to stun Anderson 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5. Opelka survived the battle of the big servers to reach his first ATP quarterfinal.

In the opening set, things weren’t going Opelka’s way at all. Although the world No. 837 broke straight back after donating serve at 1-2 and eventually forced a tiebreaker, he saw Anderson race out to a 4-1 advantage. Opelka took care of his serves for 3-4, but additional clutch serving by the South African brought about three set points at 6-3. Anderson watched two go by the wayside on his opponent’s serve before he sealed the deal on his third chance.

In the second Opelka responded well, breaking early to go up 3-1 before saving three break points at 4-2 to lead 5-2 and force Anderson to serve to stay in it. Atlanta’s No. 3 seed and 2013 runner-up posted an emphatic hold at love to force his less-experienced adversary to serve out the set. Opelka made no mistake doing just that, surging to a 40-0 cushion and leveling the match on his second set point.

In the decider, some loose serving by the teenager cost him an early break, which Anderson eventually turned into a 5-2 advantage. But the world No. 28 cracked with victory on his racket, as he got broken at 5-3 after blowing two match points. With momentum in hand, Opelka held for 5-5 and broke again to pull ahead 6-5, miraculously putting himself in position to serve for the biggest win of his tennis career. He completed the comeback in impressive style, holding at love.

In the primetime match, Isner got his campaign for a fourth straight title off to a smooth start. Mannarino actually came out of the gates hot, earning his first-ever break of Isner in their seventh career meeting for an early 2-1 lead in the opening set. The world No. 67 soon found himself leading 4-2, but that is when it all fell apart. A donation of serve at 4-3 ignited a streak of 10 consecutive lost games. Yes, for those counting that means Isner went from trailing 4-2 in the first to winning the match 6-4, 6-0 in a mere one hour and five minutes.

In other second-round action, Atlanta native and seventh seed Donald Young come back from a set and a double-break down to defeat Tim Smyczek 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-3 in two hours and 18 minutes.

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