Break Points: Isner Apologizes for His Performance

Notable Results:

Houston R2: Jack Sock d. Benjamin Becker, 6-4, 6-3
Houston R2: Donald Young d. [6] Juan Monaco, 6-7, 7-4, 6-3
Houston QF: [4] Fernand Verdasco d. Donald Young, 7-6, 6-1
Katowice QF: [4] Alize Cornet d. [5] Klara Koukalova, 6-2, 0-6, 6-2
Katowice QF: Camila Giorgi d. Shahar Peer 6-1, 6-4
Bogota QF: [6] Vania King d. Mariana Duque-Marino 7-6, 7-5
Casablanca QF: [8] Guillermo Garcia-Lopez d. [3] Benoit Paire 7-5, 7-6
Casablanca QF: Roberto Carballes Baena* d. Andrey Kuznetsov 6-4, 6-2

*Carballes Baena is ranked No. 273 in the world

News and Links:

Dustin Brown had some hot shots in his win over Isner.

The ATP did a video profile of Grigor Dimitrov. The Bulgarian talks about his family and his first ATP points. Can you guess who they came against?

Agnieszka Radwanska is playing in Katowice this week, which means her family gets to come watch:

‘One of the things I like most about this tournament is that it’s not far from the place where I live, it’s like a 45-minute drive away,’ Radwanska described. ‘I got really excited when I noticed my beloved grandma Wieslawa beside my mother in the stands. She has always been one of my biggest fans and supporters, she has watched all my matches on TV or internet since the very beginning of my career. But never before had she seen me play live, and now she can come to see all of my matches.

‘Her presence gives me positive vibes. I’m so happy!’

Dale Robertson of The Houston Chronicle has, as usual, been offering great coverage of The U.S. Clay Court Championships in Houston.

He reports that John Isner apologized after his second-round loss to Dustin Brown:

For the ninth-ranked Isner, those dreds brought only dread, then defeat, a second-round loss following a first-round bye that will knock him out of the top 10 next week. He admitted, ‘I wasn’t feeling it tonight,” and before he left the press room he apologized to a tournament official for “my pathetic performance – I’m sorry you had to watch that.’

Robertson also reported on Donald Young’s good week, which included back-to-back wins on clay for the first time in his career, including a win over Juan Monaco.

‘All year I’ve been playing pretty well’ said Young, who recently dragged this tournament’s top seed, John Isner, into a third set on hardcourts in Miami. ‘That match (against Isner) … to play a top-10 guy like that – with his serve and the variables you have to deal with when you play him – gave me a lot of confidence. I’m working hard at my pace, and I still believe good things will happen.’

Let the record show Young remains in the conversation at River Oaks, whereas Isner is gone, having dropped a three-setter to Dustin Brown on Wednesday night.

‘I’ve had higher expectations for myself (than he has achieved),’ Young said. ‘But I’ve still got some time left. I would love to make top 20, win some titles, go deep into the Slams … just keep getting better.’

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