Isner and Querrey Win Madrid Openers
American John Isner was one of three men from the United States to win their opener in the Mutua Madrid Open on Monday, defeating France’s Adrian Mannarino 7-6(2), 6-4 to advance to the second-round.
Isner ripped 13 aces and didn’t allow a single break point to ease past the Frenchman. He will play Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci in the next stage.
Joining Isner in the second-round will be fellow Americans Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson. Querrey outlasted young Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3 to advance, while Johnson battled back from a set down to beat qualifier Alejandro Gonzalez 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).
Querrey will play the winner of 14th seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut and Romanian qualifier Marius Copil. Johnson draws a matchup with third-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
Feliciano Lopez made a winning start in his home country on Monday as the 11th seeded Spaniard moved past Germany’s Benjamin Becker 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. Lopez will take on the Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer in the second-round.
Other winners on Monday included Italian Fabio Fognini, who defeated Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo 6-2, 6-3, and Brazil’s Joao Sousa, who scored a 6-4, 7-5 straight set victory over Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz.
On the women’s side in Madrid, fifth-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki rolled past American Christina McHale 7-5, 6-0, and ninth-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska cruised past Australia’s Casey Dellacqua 6-2, 6-1.
American Serena Williams won her 22nd straight match to start 2015, defeating compatriot Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-0.
