Atlanta QF previews and predictions: Isner vs. Lacko, Sock vs. Edmund

John Isner will try to maintain his winning ways in Atlanta when he takes the court against Lukas Lacko on Friday. Fellow American and top seed Jack Sock is also in quarterfinal action, facing Kyle Edmund.

Lukas Lacko vs. (2) John Isner

Isner is in the midst of an unusually dominant run of routine wins as he heads into quarterfinal action at the BB&T Atlanta Open on Friday. The 6’10” American rolled to last week’s Newport title without losing a set, holding every one of his service games without facing a break point, and being pushed to only one tiebreaker. He was in the same kind of form in his Atlanta opener on Wednesday, cruising past Vasek Pospisil 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and seven minutes. Isner again did not face a break point and dropped a mere four points in 10 service games. During one stretch he reeled off 26 service points in a row. The No. 2 seed is now 24-4 lifetime at this event with three titles and a trio of runner-up finishes.

Up next for Isner on Friday is third career contest against Lacko, who is 0-2 in the head-to-head series. The Slovak fell 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-2 three years ago in Auckland and 6-3, 6-0 in a dead Davis Cup rubber later that season. Also a stellar performer in Atlanta, Lacko is through to his third quarterfinal at this tournament following straight-set routs of Thomas Fabbiano and Donald Young. The world No. 129 has lost just seven games in two matches while improving to 6-5 at the ATP level this year. But the competition level ratchets up dramatically in the form of Isner, who is once again looking downright scary in the ideal conditions of the U.S. summer swing.

Pick: Isner in 2

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(1) Jack Sock vs. (5) Kyle Edmund

Sock and Edmund will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they collide on Friday. Although Sock is the top seed this week ahead of Isner, he has never enjoyed quite the same success in Atlanta as he countryman; then again, nobody has. The 19th-ranked American is a mediocre 6-4 lifetime at this event, but his record may be better if not for Isner–who got the best of him in the 2012 quarterfinals and the 2014 semis. Sock struggled on grass this summer in part due to injury, but he looked good in a an opening 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Dudi Sela on Thursday night.

Edmund narrowly missed out on a first-round bye as the No. 5 seed and he endured a tougher path to the last eight. The 45th-ranked Brit beat Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 7-5 on Tuesday before scraping past Newport semifinalist Peter Gojowyczk 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 in round two. Still, Edmund is just 16-19 at the ATP level this season and Sock seems like he is on course for another decent showing in Atlanta–at least until he runs into Isner.

Pick: Sock in 2

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