Isner ices tie for USA

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: An impressive serving performance from John Isner secured the USA’s passage to the quarterfinals of Davis Cup by BNP Paribas, ending the fight-back of Aussie No.1 Bernard Tomic 64 64 57 76(4) at Kooyong. Ace number 49 finally iced America’s 3-1 victory over Australia.
On a specially laid grass court, at the Australian Davis Cup fortress of bygone years, this was a hugely satisfying win for the Americans, their first over Australia since 1997, first Down Under since 1982 and first on grass since 1979 at the old White City stadium in Sydney.
In contrast, the tie was a heartbreaker for first-time captain Lleyton Hewitt, who returned to the court in a heroic effort in doubles with Davis Cup rookie John Peers against the mighty Bob and Mike Bryan, and contemplated throwing himself into the fray of a fifth rubber, if required, in place of the out-of-form Sam Groth. In truth, the Aussies were on the back foot since the withdrawal of Nick Kyrgios with illness.
Nor was this the first time an installed grass court has backfired for the hosts - the 2001 final loss to France still fresh in Aussie memories.
In the battle of tall timber No.1s, Isner came out the fresher after heatwave conditions on Friday and made an imposing start. The 30-year-old was unplayable on serve - firing 10 aces and conceding just two points on his delivery in the 27-minute first set. Many of his rocket serves reared up at head-height for the 196cm Tomic. Isner was also the one forcing the play and venturing forward against a passive, flatfooted opponent.
The second set was a replay of the first. “He’s playing tactically perfect,” commented Todd Woodbridge of Isner, who not only served big but clocked forceful forehands, curling winners and angled volleys, even teasing Tomic with a drop-shot-lob winning combo. He broke at 4-3, leaving Tomic to vent at captain Hewitt on the changeover, while having his right wrist taped.
Tomic was also showing the effects of his exhausting four-set Friday rubber over Jack Sock, played in the hottest part of the day. The struggling Aussie had to lift, and he did. At 6-5 in the third, Tomic found himself at 30-all for the first time on the Isner serve, then with a bonus set point. It would take a fifth set point - and surviving a 253km Isner thunderbolt - but from nowhere Tomic pocketed the set 75.
Now the Aussie’s bearing and dander were up, while Isner was pressing and making errors, especially on the forehand. They hurtled to the fourth-set tiebreak. Tomic had the mini-break at 2-0 when Isner chose to stay back and rally, allowing the Aussie to step into a crosscourt forehand winner. But the American showed grit to get back on even terms when he risked all on his faltering forehand and unleashed an inside-out winner. He fired an ace next point for 3-3 and didn’t look back.
“I knew he was going to make a push and he did,” Isner said of the mercurial Tomic. “Not much about his game is standard. I don’t want to say [but] maybe he was playing possum a little there. At the same time I was still serving extremely well.”
“I was fighting, [but] he was serving ridiculous,” said a subdued Tomic. “Not much you can do, just try guess the right side.” The wrist injury he’d played with since the Australian Open flared up at the worst time. “I had so much pain in my wrist but I kept thinking about Davis Cup,” said the world No.20. “No pain would stop me playing today. But I couldn’t really serve fast - [beyond] 170km. It’s a shame.”
“In the end, Bernard was a little unlucky,” noted captain Hewitt. “He was holding his serve easier in the fourth set and had a mini-break in the tiebreaker as well. But John stepped up.”
“Breathtaking to watch John serve the way he did,” said US captain Jim Courier. “After the last couple of years [first-round losses to Great Britain], this is massive for us. It was a tough match-up on paper and in reality. You can’t take any of these for granted.”
Courier’s men were rewarded for their arduous travel and exacting preparation. The Aussies carried form into the tie but the Americans are seasoned, cool pros. Spearhead Isner lost just one set; the Bryans juggernaut rolled on and only rookie Sock lost a rubber, though impressively in tough conditions.
Team USA faces Croatia or Belgium in the quarterfinals, with both delivering a welcome a home tie.

Source: DavisCup.com