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9/28/09 5:06 PM | Ricky Dimon
John Isner wins yet another final-set tiebreaker on Monday night in the Bangkok first round. This time the victim is unlikely opponent Kittipong Wachiramanowong, a Thai wild card ranked No. 585 in the world.
The opponent doesn't appear to matter. Whether it's world No. 5 Andy Roddick or world No. 585 Kittipong Wachiramanowong, John Isner always seems to go into a final-set tiebreaker.
Isner did it again on Monday night in Bangkok, outlasting Wachiramanowong 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5). The 6'9'' American needed two hours and 12 minutes--and a critical break of serve late in the third set--to reach the second round of the PTT Thailand Open, where he will face either Leonardo Mayer or Mischa Zverev.
Heavily favored against a virtually unknown player on the other side of the net, Isner simply could not win in routine fashion even though he comfortably took the first set. Bangkok's No. 8 seed fired 11 aces in the opening frame of play and saved both of the break points he faced. As a result, one break was enough for Isner to win it 6-3.
That's when things started to get tricky. Refusing to give up in front of an energized Thai crowd, Wachiramanowong earned his first break of the match at 3-2 in the second and was never troubled on serve en route to forcing a third set. Wachiramanowong, who has never won an ATP-level match, lost only seven points in five service games as he eased through set two.
With momentum in hand, the Thai hopeful broke Isner immediately to begin the third set and he consolidated the advantage all the way until he served for the match at 5-4. Two points from a huge upset at 30-15, Wachiramanowong finally cracked. Following a missed volley at 30-30, he hit an ill-advised drop-shot that allowed Isner to blast a winning backhand for the break. Two holds later, a final-set tiebreaker was necessary to decide things.
Isner, who won five final-set tiebrakers in one tournament alone back in 2007 (Legg Mason Classic) and also defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Legg Mason Classic) and Roddick (U.S. Open) in final-set tiebreakers this summer, was obviously more comfortable in the same situation on Monday night. One mini-break was all he needed against Wachiramanowong, who donated it with a forehand error at 2-3. Isner won all six of his service points in the decider, clinching it at 6-5 with a lunging forehand volley winner.
Isner, who has now won 11 straight final-set tiebreakers in a row, finished with 21 aces and no double-faults. Wachiramanowong did well to withstand the barrage and remain so competitive, and he recorded seven aces to just one double-fault while winning more than 70 percent of the points on both his first and second serves.
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