Top seed Isner out of Memphis Open

Updated February 25, 2012 19:19:53

Top seeded American John Isner was sent crashing out of the Memphis Open after losing to Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) in their quarter-final match.

Isner, who hammered 48 aces in his first two matches in Memphis, fired 11 aces against Melzer in the 81-minute match at the indoor hardcourt tournament at The Racquet Club of Memphis.

Besides Melzer, hard-serving Canadian Milos Raonic, Czech Radek Stepanek and Benjamin Becker of Germany also reached the semi-finals.

In the tie-break, Melzer had a double fault to hand Isner a set point, but the Austrian battled back to win the final three points of the set.

Isner, who is ranked 13th in the world, also had two double faults and won just 67 per cent of his first-serve points.

Melzer won 80 per cent of his first-serve points, had seven aces and saved both of his break-point chances.

Third seeded Stepanek also cruised into the semis surviving a first-set tie-break then dominating the second set to beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (7-5), 6-0.

Stepanek will face Melzer in the semi-finals.

Stepanek, who finished second here three years ago, posted four service breaks, compared to just one service break for the wild card and 2010 Memphis champion Querrey.

Fourth seed Raonic put on an impressive serving display, hammering 26 aces en route to a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) win over Belgium's Olivier Rochus.

"I did a lot of things well today," Raonic said.

"I felt like their were a few games where I let up a little bit, but in the end of it there was not much I could do better.

"I just wish I could have kept the intensity up. I'm hitting better and I'm playing better tennis match by match. I'm creating my opportunities and taking care of my serve really well."

Raonic won 74 per cent of his first-serve points and had two double faults in the one hour and 23-minute encounter.

He will next meet Becker who defeated Poland's Lukasz Kubot 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) in a night session quarter-final match.

Raonic lost to American veteran Andy Roddick in last year's Memphis final and is coming off his second win of 2012 in San Jose last week.

The 21-year-old Canadian was virtually flawless on serve Friday.

Raonic, who has not lost a set since the Australian Open, is trying to win his first ATP 500 title. He now boasts a 14-1 record this season.

On the women's side of the draw, fourth seeded Marina Erakovic of New Zealand and Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson will meet in the final after winning their semi-final matches.

Erakovic outlasted Russia's Vera Dushevina 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 and Arvidsson eased past Alberta Brianti, of Italy, 6-3, 7-5.

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, united-states

First posted February 25, 2012 19:16:28

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Tomic goes down in Memphis

Updated February 21, 2012 13:29:46

Australia's Bernard Tomic departed the ATP World Tour event in Memphis, going down in three sets to Croatian Ivan Dodig.

Tomic, the eighth seed, had two match points in the third but was unable to capitalise, eventually losing 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8).

In other round one results, American Donald Young beat Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-6 (8-6).

In the women's draw, third seeded Czech Lucie Hradecka dominated Anna Tatishvili 6-3, 6-1 and fourth seeded Marina Erakovic of New Zealand came from behind to beat Sloane Stephens of United States 4-6, 6-0, 6-1.

Tags: sport, tennis, united-states

First posted February 21, 2012 13:29:46

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Raonic, Melzer advance to Memphis final

Updated February 26, 2012 15:15:11

Red-hot Milos Raonic booked a finals showdown with Austrian Jurgen Melzer on Saturday at the Memphis Open.

Canada's Raonic, seeking a third ATP title of the year, subdued Germany's Benjamin Becker 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 15 minutes.

Melzer, meanwhile, defeated Czech third seed Radek Stepanek 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Women's action wrapped up as Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson notched her second career title - and her second in Memphis - with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Marina Erakovic of New Zealand.

Arvidsson shook off a sluggish start to polish off the victory in one hour and 24 minutes, lifting the title six years after she won her only previous WTA Tour trophy at the same venue in 2006.

"I think I'm going to buy a house here," said Arvidsson, who also reached the Memphis final in 2010.

"I just love to play here."

Raonic, 21, won his ninth straight match and says he feels he is improving with every contest.

"I feel like I'm not stalling at any point," he said.

"I'm constantly getting better throughout the matches. That's very encouraging. It's something fun to build off of."

Raonic, seeded fourth, fired 14 aces past Becker and never faced a break point as he stayed on course to add to the titles he has won this year in San Jose and Chennai.

The Canadian, who has won 19 successive sets since he fell to Lleyton Hewitt in the third round of the Australian Open, converted both of his break opportunities.

"I felt in the beginning, he started well, especially serving. But I was able to get close in the games, and that put a little pressure on him," Raonic said.

Melzer, who upset US top seed John Isner in the quarter-finals, is delighted to find himself in the final.

"I've played a great tournament thus far," he said.

"Reaching a final is something special. I haven't played a final since 2010."

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, united-states

First posted February 26, 2012 15:15:11

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Melzer stops Raonic to win Memphis title

Updated February 27, 2012 10:59:19

Unseeded Jurgen Melzer defeated Milos Raonic 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) in the final of the $1.28 million ATP Memphis Open to capture his fourth career title.

It was the second year in a row the fourth-seeded Canadian Raonic lost in the Memphis final after winning the week before in San Jose.

Melzer, who upset top seed John Isner and third seed Radek Stepanek en route to the final, clinched Sunday's victory in a second set tie-break when Raonic hammered a backhand into the net.

Melzer broke Raonic's mighty serve in the seventh game of the second set to cut Raonic's lead to 4-3. Melzer then survived a set point in the 10th game before both players held serve to set up the tie-break.

Melzer also broke Raonic's serve in the 11th game of the first set to take a 6-5 lead. He ended the 41-minute opening set with an ace out wide on his second set point that Raonic could not reach with his backhand.

By taking the first set, Melzner snapped Raonic's 2012 win streak at 19 consecutive sets. Raonic had not lost a set since he fell to Aussie Lleyton Hewitt in the third round of the Australia Open in January.

The left-handed Austrian earned $260,000 in prize money for his first win since successfully defending his crown in his hometown of Vienna two years ago.

It was the first career meeting between the Canadian rising star and the 14-year veteran Melzer, who was playing with a broken toe suffered in his hotel when he first arrived in Memphis.

Melzer now has a 4-7 career record in finals and also won his first title on US soil after finishing runner-up in his previous three attempts.

Raonic, who lost in last year's final to American veteran Andy Roddick, came into Sunday's final riding a nine-match win streak and was seeking to add the Memphis crown to titles he already won this year in San Jose and Chennai.

AFP

Tags: sport, tennis, united-states

First posted February 27, 2012 10:59:19

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