Feliciano Lopez v John Isner 6-7 (8) 7-6 (6) 7-6 (3) 7-5

Aces high as Lopez outguns Isner

30-06-2014

Tweet

Spain's Feliciano Lopez outgunned ninth seed John Isner 6-7 (8) 7-6 (6) 7-6 (3) 7-5 in a third-round match dominated by big serves at Wimbledon on Monday.

The players hit a combined 86 aces, with rallies and break points at a premium, and Lopez made the decisive break in the 11th game of the fourth set before securing victory in two hours 51 minutes.

American Isner, featuring in the third round for the first time, blasted 52 aces and snatched the first set tiebreak before his opponent levelled with some crunching forehands in the second.

Play was briefly suspended when rain fell on Court Three and when the pair returned it was Lopez, who retained his Aegon International grasscourt title at Eastbourne, England earlier this month, who claimed the third tiebreak.

Then, just as the crowd were expecting to see another set go all the way, 19th seed Lopez found a way past Isner's defences before holding serve and winning the match with yet another ace.

Lopez next faces Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka.