Tennis: Isner wins Winston-Salem title

NORTH CAROLINA: John Isner won his second straight Winston-Salem ATP title, surviving three match points en route to a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (11-9) victory over second-seeded Tomas Berdych. Isner, seeded third, successfully defended a title for the second time this season to go into the US Open starting today at Flushing Meadows. The towering American, who also retained his title at Newport this year, fired 22 aces and also got a little bit of luck in the third-set decider as a forehand struck by Berdych hit the netcord and bounced high and wide to give Isner a second match point at 10-9. Isner made the most of his opportunity, sealing the victory with a forehand winner after two hours and 26 minutes. Berdych had three chances to put away the match in the tie-breaker including one on his own serve at 6-5.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2012.