John Isner will be back in action one day after upsetting Roger Federer as he goes up against David Ferrer in the Paris quarterfinals on Friday. The schedule also features a showdown between Andy Murray and Richard Gasquet.
(8) David Ferrer vs. (13) John Isner
A season that began with two utterly dismal months could end with Isner being one of two alternates at the World Tour Finals. The world No. 13 kept that chance alive in improbable fashion on Thursday, when he upset Roger Federer 7-6(3), 3-6, 7-6(5) to reach the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Masters. Through two matches this week, Isner has 48 aces and just one-double fault. The 6’10” American is a stellar 45-25 for the year; for those counting, that means he has won more than two out of every three matches (42-20) since starting the 2015 campaign 3-5.
Up next for Isner on Friday afternoon is a seventh career encounter with Ferrer. The eighth-ranked Spaniard, who has already secured his spot at the year-end championship, is leading the head-to-head series 5-1. Isner, though, won their only previous indoor hard-court clash 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 and it came at the same stage of this same Paris event in 2011. Ferrer’s 2015 record stands at an awesome 54-12 following defeats of Alexandr Dolgopolov and Grigor Dimitrov. But the 33-year-old needed two hours and two minutes to beat Dimitrov 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-4 even though the Bulgarian made 64 unforced errors. Although Isner would obviously prefer to play in the United States, by European standards this setting is perfect for him. The relatively high-bouncing court is conducive to Isner’s serve, which has been absolutely dominant of late.
Pick: Isner in 3
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(10) Richard Gasquet vs. (2) Andy Murray
Murray and Gasquet will be squaring off for the 10th time in their careers on Friday. The head-to-head series stands at a seemingly modest 6-3 in Murray’s favor, but he has won six of their last seven encounters. Gasquet took their first two meetings back in 2006 (Canada) and 2007 (also in the quarterfinals of this same Paris tournament). Murray, who has defeated the Frenchman in straight sets only once in nine meetings, most recently got the job done 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in this summer’s Cincinnati quarters.
An in-form Gasquet is aiming to become the first alternate in London and he is certainly looking good in that effort. The world No. 9 is coming off consecutive semifinal showings in Stockholm and Basel, and so far this week he has gotten past Leonardo Mayer and Kei Nishikori without dropping a set (Nishikori retired in the second). This is just Murray’s second event of the fall, as he wants to be rested for the upcoming Davis Cup final against Belgium and still has the World Tour Finals on his schedule. The third-ranked Scot reached the Shanghai semis and he punched his ticket to the Paris quarters by completely destroying Borna Coric and David Goffin. Gasquet will prove to be much tougher for a player who is only 15-8 lifetime at this tournament and his more important matters to tend to later this month.
Pick: Gasquet in 3
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Maybe Isner might develop a ground game one day? He is out of the Andy Roddick school of tennis. Serve as hard as you can and try and ace. If ball comes back, bash it as hard as you can with your forehand. Hopefully that ends the point because if you need to play a third shot in a rally you are screwed.