Roger Federer comes back from a set deficit to beat Denis Istomin and book a spot in the Basel quarterfinals on Wednesday. In Valencia, meanwhile, John Isner takes out Ernests Gulbis in two tiebreakers to reach the second round.
Roger Federer d. Denis Istomin 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
Federer got off to a slow start but recovered to beat Istomin in one hour and 51 minutes during second-round action at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Wednesday. With other World Tour Finals contenders such as Tomas Berdych, Stanislas Wawrinka, and Richard Gasquet having already fallen by the wayside this week, Federer seemed on his way to a similar fate. The 32-year-old Swiss dropped serve midway through the first set and eventually surrendered it after missing three break-point chances.
Istomin lost four of the last five games in the second set but almost bounced back early in the decider. The 48th-ranked Uzbek had four break points in the second game after saving two for a 1-0 advantage. Once Federer survived and held, though, it was all over. Federer won six of the final seven games–including a second break for 4-1 when his opponent botched a routine overhead. The five-time champion awaits either Grigor Dimitrov, Radek Stepanek, or Alexandr Dolgopolov on Friday.
(4) John Isner d. Ernests Gulbis 7-6(4), 7-6(1)
Isner and Gulbis held all 24 service games and saved a combined 18 of 18 break points during a match that required two hours and 22 minutes to be completed despite lasting just two sets. Gulbis fought off six break points in the opener while Isner saved one to force a tiebreaker. The 25th-ranked Latvian led 3-1 in the ‘breaker after earlier earning a mini-break on the third point, but he promptly lost six of the next seven points.
All seven of Gulbis’ second-set break opportunities came in the same game, but he could not convert. Although Isner also squandered all four of his chances, it mattered little because he once again had way too much in a tiebreaker. The fourth-seeded American went up 2-0 when his opponent erred on a backhand and he dropped only one point the entire way. Isner converted match point with a shot off the baseline to which Gulbis replied with a shanked backhand. The world No. 15, who struck 17 aces and three double-faults, will battle Jeremy Chardy for a place in the quarterfinals.
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