Top-Seeded Fish Upset by Michael Russell at Clay Court Championships
Michael Russell defeated Mardy Fish, 6-3, 6-1 in the second round of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. Fish, who was the top-seeded player at the event and overall ninth ranked player in the world, was playing for the first time since he pulled out of the U.S. Davis Cup match against France due to illness.
”What happened a couple of weeks ago scared me,” Fish said. ”Obviously, I’m not over it. I think anyone could see I wasn’t myself.”
Russell on the other hand, knew that he had a great opportunity to take the match against Fish.
”In the beginning, I thought he was playing pretty well, and it was neck and neck and then his game definitely deteriorated big time,” Russell said. ”I just tried to ride the wave.”
John Isner recovered from a slow start to defeat Horacio Zeballos of Argentina in three sets, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 with 16 aces.
”It was difficult to lose that first set, but I told myself to keep on my serve and that’s what happened,” Isner said.
Kevin Anderson of South Africa was a winner over American Sam Querrey in three close sets, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, in the second round. Juan Monaco also defeated Tatsuma Ito of Japan in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. Monaco ups his record to 8-2 overall on clay for the year and will play Anderson in the quarterfinals.
