World Number 9 John Isner has returned to the semifinal at the Miami Open for the second consecutive year after beating Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-5) after 1 hour and 45 minutes at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
John Isner will continue his title defence one year after winning the Miami final against Alexander Zverev. He has reached the third semifinal of his career after 2015 and 2018 and his 12th semifinal at Masters 1000 level. He will take on either Canadian 18-year-old player Felix Auger Aliassime or Borna Coric. He has won ten consecutive matches in Miami and has a 10-1 win-loss record in tie-breaks.
The player from Greensboro hit 24 aces and faced one break point in the last service game of the match. Bautista Agut fended off a total of three break points.
Isner did not convert his only break point chance in the first set, when Bautista Agut hit a forehand passing shot that Isner netted. Isner got three mini-breaks to race out to a 6-1 lead in the tie-break, when Bautista Agut made a double fault. The US player sealed the first set with his 13th ace.
Nothing could separate in the first eight games before Bautista Agut fended off two break points at 4-4 in the second set. The Spaniard earned his first break point on the set point at 5-6 30-40, bu Isner saved it with an ace. Bautista Agut, who stunned Novak Djokovic in yesterday’s fourth round, got two mini-breaks to open up a 3-0 lead, but Isner bounced back from a double mini-break deficit for the second time at this tournament. The US giant seal the tie-break 7-5, when Bautista Agut netted a forehand.
Isner has not dropped a set yet at this tournament beating Lorenzo Sonego, Albert Ramos Vinolas, Kyle Edmund and Roberto Bautista Agut. He won seven of his eight sets in tie-breaks.
