The Stockholm Open may be nothing more than a 250 tournament, but at this point in the season its importance in the race to London cannot be underestimated. With the No. 9 spot wide open and becoming increasingly significant given the questionable Nitto ATP Finals statuses of Juan Martin Del Potro and Rafael Nadal, Stockholm could make the difference in what is a tight battle between John Isner and Kei Nishikori.
Isner got passed by Nishikori while he skipped the recent Asian swing after becoming a new father last month, but the 10th-ranked American can pass Nishikori back with one more victory this week. He got things started on Thursday by surviving a 7-6(2), 6-7(5), 7-6(5) thriller against countryman Bradley Klahn after two hours and 23 minutes. Unsurprisingly, there was not a single break of serve in the entire match.
Highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dREf1SXRhXY
“It was extremely tough; I didn’t think it was going to be that tough,” said the top seed, referencing the fact that he should have crossed the finish line in straights but squandered a 5-2 lead in the second-set tiebreaker. “But who knows; I think I needed a match like that to try to get me going.”
Ernests Gulbis has already been going and going for quite some time in Stockholm. The 145th-ranked Latvian started his event this past weekend, as he had to qualify just to get into the main draw. He successfully accomplished that feat, defeated Swedish wild card Mikael Ymer in the first round, and then cruised past No. 7 seed Denis Shapovalov 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday evening.
Gulbis double-faulted a ridiculous eight times, but he was clutch when it mattered most–going 5-for-5 on break-point situations during the contest (2-for-2 saved, 3-for-3 converted).
Next up for the 30-year-old is an ice-cold Jack Sock, while Isner faces compatriot Tennys Sandgren on Friday.
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Gulbis is balling