Top seed John Isner booked a berth in the semi-finals of the Delray Beach International while former US Open winner Andy Roddick was sent crashing out on Friday. America’s Isner advanced with a brisk 6-3, 6-2 victory over eighth-seeded Australian Bernard Tomic, capitalising on four of his five break chances against the 19-year-old Australian to claim victory in only 56 minutes.
The giant Isner, at 206 centimetres (six feet nine inches), will next face seventh-seeded Anderson, who rallied to beat Roddick in a two hour, 33 minute marathon. South Africa’s Anderson saved three match points in a second set tie-break on the way to a 2-6, 7-6 (11/9), 6-4 win over the American fourth seed. Anderson put on an impressive serving display, beating Roddick at his own game. He hammered 11 aces to Roddick’s eight and won 77 percent of his first serve points. It was the 25-year-old’s second win over Roddick in four career meetings. Anderson, just three centimetres shorter than Isner, is chasing his second career title. Israel’s Dudi Sela booked his first semi-final berth of the year with a three-set victory over fifth-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber. After dropping a second set tie-break, Sela responded to post a 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-0 victory. Sela reached his first semi-final since Chennai in 2010. He next faces Australian qualifier Marinko Matosevic, who extended his career best ATP performance with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 win over 2010 Delray Beach champion Ernests Gulbis.
