Del Potro extends winning streak, joined by Isner in Miami semifinals

Juan Martin Del Potro’s winning streak hit 15 matches on Wednesday night, but it wasn’t easy. Del Potro recovered from a set deficit and twice came back from a break down in the third to outlast Milos Raonic 5-7, 7-6(1), 7-6(3) in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open.

For much of the way it looked like recent Indian Wells champion’s scorching-hot hard-court spring would finally come to an end. He dropped serve at 5-6 to seal his first-set fate and eventually got broken right away in the decider. Having failed to solve the Raonic serve all night, Del Potro broke from out of nowhere at 0-1 and did the same at 1-2.

After the third set began with four consecutive breaks, order was finally restored en route to a tiebreaker. Raonic double-faulted on his opening service point–just as he had done in the second-set ‘breaker–and he never recovered. Del Potro soared to a 5-1 advantage and soon converted his first match point with a final forehand winner.

“It was great tennis and a battle,” the world No. 6 commented. “We both enjoyed the game and the crowd were amazing, making for an incredible atmosphere on court. I’m so glad to still be alive and reach the semifinals…. I always think this may be my last match (of the tournament), so I put in a lot of effort to give myself a chance to win. I’m pleased with my level of tennis and all my success, but of course I’d like to reach the final.”

In order to reach the final, Del Potro will have to defeat John Isner on Friday. It was Isner who stopped the Argentine one match short of a spot in the Nitto ATP Finals last fall, and now it is the 6’10” American who is next in Del Potro’s way of completing the Indian Wells-Miami Sunshine Double.

Isner earned his place in the final four by cruising past Hyeon Chung 6-1, 6-4 on Wednesday afternoon. The 14th seed turned in another dominant serving display, firing 13 aces without double-faulting a single time and saving the only break point he faced.

Wednesday highlights:

“I was in a good rhythm on the court,” said Isner, who had been saddled with a horrendous 2-6 record this season prior to arriving in Miami. “Obviously I was taking care of my serve, but I didn’t feel like today I needed to really red-line things out there and try to end the points so short. I felt like I could be patient from the baseline, because I was very happy with how I was playing and how I was moving. This is actually the best I’ve moved all year. That’s not working harder, or training harder off the court; that’s just from me being more confident on the court.

“It just goes to show that in tennis, in any sport really, you can appear to be down and out but if you keep the faith and keep plugging along and keep believing that good things are ahead, they’re actually going to come true. And that’s certainly been the case for me this week.”

Isner trails the head-to-head series with Del Potro 6-3 despite prevailing 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4 at the Paris Masters last fall.

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