Collision Course
Frenchman Arnaud Clement and American John Isner are at opposite ends of the
singles draw and have very different styles of play, but as the Heineken Open
progresses, fate seems to be drawing these giantkillers together.
Clement, one of the last additions to the main draw, was up until midnight,
dodging rain delays, to dispatch second-seed David Ferrer in straight sets on
Wednesday night, then returned to centre court yesterday to end the hopes of
Austrian sixth seed Jurgen Melzer 6-2 7-5.
"Of course, it was not so easy, but I can't say anything now I won today. I
have time for recovery and a good feeling in my body."
With his hustling mentality, Clement recovered from an early break in the
second set to wear his rival down, obviously frustrating him - literally - to
breaking point.
"I don't have any big shot in my game, so I have to try and be focused every
time," he said. "If I am down a break, I always have to fight if I have a little
chance.
"Today, I had a chance and I took it."
"It is the first time I play here and I am in the semifinals," he smiled.
"The end of the tournament is close and only one more step to the final.
"I want to win ... I am very hungry for the title."
Clement now faces former champion and fifth seed Phillipp Kohlschreiber of
Germany, now the highest ranked player still alive in the tournament.
He was hardly tested by Frenchman Marc Gicquel last night, coasting to a 6-3
6-1 win in less than an hour, and has dropped only 13 games over three rounds in
Auckland.
The pair have met just once before with Kohlschreiber winning in straight
sets on clay at Munich in 2007.
Meanwhile, 24 hours after downing seventh seed Juan Monaco in the second
round, Isner powered down 20 aces to oust singles favourite Tommy Robredo in an
absorbing 2h 12m three-set struggle that could have gone either way right to the
end. Yes, there was a tiebreak involved.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," chuckled Isner about his tendency to drag
a match out. "I seem to do that every single match I play."
The lanky Floridian (2.06m) has now played nine matches in Auckland over the
past two years, including seven three-setters and nine tiebreaks.
"Today, I was a little out of sorts at the beginning ... I was overrunning
shots and the ball was catching me close to the body. But it seems like I get
better as the match goes on."
It undoubtedly helps that Isner has become the crowd favourite at this
tournament and he acknowledges that support has been invaluable to him so
far.
"It really feels like I'm playing in the States ... it felt like I had most
of the crowd support. The fans here are awesome and drinking Heinekens probably
has something to do with that."
As the match went on the line late in the third set, Isner missed a chances
to break at 4-3, had to survive breakpoints on his next serve and then stole
victory by finally breaking his opponent in the critical game. Robredo revealed
later that he actually broke a string in his racquet on his final serve and
blamed that for hitting long on the last point.
Isner now meets yet another Spaniard - eighth seed Albert Montanes - in the
semis.
The American prevailed when they met here last year, is now well used to the
latin playing style, loves the hard court surface and has worked himself into
good form through a succession of tough matches. Montanes prefers clay, but is
comparatively fresh after just six sets on court.
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