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Monfils Wins Crowd by Charming It, but Isner Takes the Match by Force Monfils Wins Crowd by Charming It, but Isner Takes the Match by Force
(35 minutes later)
The highest-seeded American male at the United States Open, John Isner, left the court after the third set of his second-round match Thursday to resounding cheers for his opponent, Gaël Monfils.The highest-seeded American male at the United States Open, John Isner, left the court after the third set of his second-round match Thursday to resounding cheers for his opponent, Gaël Monfils.
The crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium had undoubtedly turned — chanting the name of the Frenchman Monfils, while Isner fumed over calls he considered questionable. A two-set lead looked suddenly precarious, and the jocular Monfils basked in the adoration of fans on foreign soil.The crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium had undoubtedly turned — chanting the name of the Frenchman Monfils, while Isner fumed over calls he considered questionable. A two-set lead looked suddenly precarious, and the jocular Monfils basked in the adoration of fans on foreign soil.
“I noticed it,” Isner said of the crowd’s turning. “He’s a fun-loving guy and an exciting guy to watch, no matter where he’s playing.”
Still, Isner acknowledged it was a bit disappointing.
“I know New York fans like to see long matches and fifth sets or whatnot,” he said. “It’s not like there was no one cheering for me. But I was a little bit disappointed in that, actually. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. If I was playing in France, it certainly wouldn’t be like that, I’ll tell you that.”
All night it was a matchup between two opposites. The springy Monfils, a blur of limbs and length, against the heavy-handed Isner. Brawn versus bounciness. Plodding stoicism versus a walking Red Bull commercial.All night it was a matchup between two opposites. The springy Monfils, a blur of limbs and length, against the heavy-handed Isner. Brawn versus bounciness. Plodding stoicism versus a walking Red Bull commercial.
In the end, Isner overwhelmed Monfils to win in a fourth-set tiebreaker, 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (4). But not before Monfils got the crowd to start cheering for an upset.In the end, Isner overwhelmed Monfils to win in a fourth-set tiebreaker, 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (4). But not before Monfils got the crowd to start cheering for an upset.
He won them over with energy and enthusiasm, a wink here, a smile there, a slide on his knees across the asphalt to return a blistering serve. Monfils never lost the emotional edge over Isner, playing to the crowd’s delight at his expressiveness. Even as he went down by two sets, he merely turned up his pestering defensive game — and spent more time diving after balls on the concrete — to the growing irritation of Isner.He won them over with energy and enthusiasm, a wink here, a smile there, a slide on his knees across the asphalt to return a blistering serve. Monfils never lost the emotional edge over Isner, playing to the crowd’s delight at his expressiveness. Even as he went down by two sets, he merely turned up his pestering defensive game — and spent more time diving after balls on the concrete — to the growing irritation of Isner.
Isner also began getting flustered by calls against him on his serves, at one point boiling over to scream at the chair umpire, James Keothavong, after an outside serve he thought was in. Cameras caught Monfils even smirking at the call, perhaps because the serve zipped by too quickly for him to judge.Isner also began getting flustered by calls against him on his serves, at one point boiling over to scream at the chair umpire, James Keothavong, after an outside serve he thought was in. Cameras caught Monfils even smirking at the call, perhaps because the serve zipped by too quickly for him to judge.
But Isner’s focus continued to crumble, and Monfils pounced to break Isner’s serve as the crowd began to chant his name. He screamed and hopped into his chair, up five games to four, with the players seemingly heading in opposite directions.But Isner’s focus continued to crumble, and Monfils pounced to break Isner’s serve as the crowd began to chant his name. He screamed and hopped into his chair, up five games to four, with the players seemingly heading in opposite directions.
After the set, Isner went to the locker room to refresh more than his outfit. He took a while to return, as Monfils lingered on the court. When Isner returned, his focus seemed refined; he began the fourth set with a blistering ace, one of 23. But Monfils remained a near-impossible opponent to wear down. He had a chance for a break and came within two points of winning in the fourth set, but Monfils held serve to even the set at 5-5. After the set, Isner went to the locker room to refresh more than his outfit. He took a while to return, as Monfils lingered on the court. When Isner returned, his focus seemed refined; he began the fourth set with a blistering ace, one of 23.
In the fourth-set tiebreaker, as the match approached three hours, Isner’s serve remained 139 miles per hour, and a blistering forehand winner gave him a 6-4 lead. He gambled and volleyed on the next point and won, as Monfils hit it in the net. “I needed to change clothing; I was soaking wet,” he said. “That’s it.”
But Monfils remained a near-impossible opponent to wear down. He had a chance for a break and came within two points of winning in the fourth set, but Monfils held serve to even the set at 5-5.
In the fourth-set tiebreaker, as the match approached three hours, Isner’s serve remained 139 miles per hour, and a blistering forehand winner gave him a 6-4 lead. He gambled and volleyed on the next point and won, as Monfils hit it into the net.
“In the tiebreaker, I played great,” Isner said. “I hit two massive serves, and I hit the best forehand I hit all night at 5-4. I’m just so happy I’m still not out there playing right now."
Isner’s victory capped another late night of day matches. The match did not begin until close to 9 p.m. because the players had to wait until the doubles pairing of Serena and Venus Williams vacated Louis Armstrong Stadium. The Williamses beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa and Carla Suárez Navarro, 6-7, 6-0, 6-3.Isner’s victory capped another late night of day matches. The match did not begin until close to 9 p.m. because the players had to wait until the doubles pairing of Serena and Venus Williams vacated Louis Armstrong Stadium. The Williamses beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa and Carla Suárez Navarro, 6-7, 6-0, 6-3.
By then, at Arthur Ashe, sixth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki had already finished her second-round match against Chanelle Scheepers, a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Rafael Nadal also advanced, 6-2, 6-1, 6-0, over Rogério Dutra-Silva.By then, at Arthur Ashe, sixth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki had already finished her second-round match against Chanelle Scheepers, a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Rafael Nadal also advanced, 6-2, 6-1, 6-0, over Rogério Dutra-Silva.
Earlier, Sam Querrey, considered the second-best American player behind Isner, lost in a close match to Adrian Mannarino, which featured three tiebreakers, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 6-4.Earlier, Sam Querrey, considered the second-best American player behind Isner, lost in a close match to Adrian Mannarino, which featured three tiebreakers, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 6-4.
Querrey would have faced Federer in the third round, a matchup that would have been highly anticipated.
“It’s a bummer,” Querrey said. “I wanted to make the third round. It would have been fun to play Roger. Really bummed that it happened.”
Querrey struggled with his serve and made 60 unforced errors, a result, he said, of how Mannarino kept the ball low and flat, below Querrey’s comfortable strike zone. After the match, Querrey seemed to take exception to inquiries about why he has struggled advancing further than the fourth round in major tournaments.
“It’s my life and my career,” Querrey said. “Whatever makes me happy is fine.”