WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) Local favorite John Isner advanced to the Winston-Salem Open quarterfinals Wednesday.
The No. 4-seeded Isner defeated No. 13-seeded Jarkko Nieminen 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the third round of the final men's tuneup before next week's U.S. Open.
Isner, a native of nearby Greensboro, solved Nieminen's serve and needed just 23 minutes to win the second set. He and top-seeded Andy Roddick were the only two Americans remaining entering the evening session.
I held serve comfortably today, and that puts so much pressure on my opponents,'' Isner said.Any guy with a big serve will tell you being able to get cheap points puts so much pressure on (the opponent).''
Isner will face either Steve Darcis or Marcos Baghdatis in the quarterfinals Thursday.
Isner lost only seven points out of 51 on his serve. The match ended, appropriately, with an ace.
He said playing in the North Carolina Triad is a main reason he entered, and he's rejuvenated by being a fan favorite playing close to his hometown.
No. 3-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov advanced to the quarterfinals by beating Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7). He will face the Netherlands' Robin Haase, who defeated Pierre-Ludovic Duclos 6-4, 7-5.
No. 9-seeded Sergiy Stakhovsky upset No. 5-seeded Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals. He will face qualifier Julien Benneteau. The Frenchman beat Russia's Igor Andreev 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5).
Roddick was facing No. 15-seeded Santiago Giraldo in an evening match.