Opelka ends Isner’s Atlanta Open title defence
Dominant at the Atlanta Open previously, John Isner was downed by Reilly Opelka in the second round.
John Isner’s bid for a sixth Atlanta Open title came to an end in a second-round loss to Reilly Opelka on Wednesday.
The big-serving Americans were unable to break before Opelka edged a 7-6 (7-2) 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-5) victory.
Top seed Isner served 33 aces and Opelka sent down 31 at the ATP 250 event played on hard-courts in Georgia.
A five-time champion and three-time runner-up at the tournament, Isner bowed out after his third loss to Opelka this year.
Huge upset! @ReillyOpelka takes down 5x champ John Isner 7-6, 6-7, 7-6. #AtlantaOpen #USOpenSeries pic.twitter.com/kj46IH7WCq
— BB&T Atlanta Open (@BBTatlantaopen) July 25, 2019
This year will be just the second time Isner has not reached the final in Atlanta and first since 2012.
Two-time defending champion Isner was one of three seeds to fall as Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Radu Albot also departed.
Herbert went down to Alexei Popyrin 7-5 6-3 and Albot suffered a 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 6-2 loss to Dan Evans.
Who’s rolling into the #AtlantaOpen quarterfinals like a boss? Dan Evans is. He defeats Albot 7-6, 5-7, 6-2. #AtlantaOpen #USOpenSeries pic.twitter.com/TScKM1RxKx
— BB&T Atlanta Open (@BBTatlantaopen) July 24, 2019
In the day’s other match, Cameron Norrie was too good for qualifier Kwon Soon-woo 6-3 6-4.
