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Match Details
Fixture: (2) John Isner vs (4) Maxime Cressy.
Date: July 16, 2022
Tournament: Hall of Fame Open.
Round: Semifinal.
Venue: Newport, United States.
Category: ATP 250.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: $594,950.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | Australia - beIN Sports.
John Isner vs Maxime Cressy preview
Compatriots John Isner and Maxime Cressy are set to square off in the semifinals of the 2022 Hall of Fame Open on Saturday.
Isner scored a straight-sets win over Peter Gojowczyk in the second round to set up a quarterfinal date with Benjamin Bonzi. The Frenchman jumped to a 4-2 lead in the opening set, but squandered his advantage immediately as his opponent tied the score.
Isner got the upper hand after that to go 6-5 up, but failed to serve out the set despite having a set point. But the American won seven straight points in the ensuing tie-break to grab the opener. The second set also went to a tie-break. The American led 6-3 and had three match points, but Bonzi held his nerve, winning five points in a row to force a decider.
The third set similarly went to a tie-break. This time, Isner led 6-1. However, Bonzi wasn't going down without out a fight. He saved four more match points, but the American finally got the job done on his eighth match point to win 7-6(2), 6-7(6), 7-6(5).
After an easy win over Mitchell Krueger, Maxime Cressy was up against fellow American Steve Johnson in the quarterfinals. Neither player was able to secure a break of serve in the first set, which went to a tie-break.
Johnson built up a 4-0 lead and the buffer was enough for him to clinch the set. The duo were evenly matched across the first eight games of the second set. Cressy then broke his opponent's serve to go 5-4 up. After saving a break point, he served out the set to even the match.
Cressy got an early break to go 2-0 up in the deciding set. He didn't let go of his lead and closed out proceedings to win 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-4.
John Isner vs Maxime Cressy head-to-head
Cressy leads Isner 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2022 Australian Open in five sets.
John Isner vs Maxime Cressy odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)
John Isner vs Maxime Cressy prediction
Isner is a four-time champion in Newport. He has now extended his winning streak at the tournament to 10 matches. Cressy played quite well during the grass swing, with a runner-up finish at Eastbourne prior to Wimbledon.
Extended rallies aren't going to be a part of this contest. Both players possess huge serves, so plenty of aces are to be expected. Isner hammered 29 aces in his previous match, while Cressy was just behind him with 27. However, there was quite a difference in their double fault count, with Isner hitting just five compared to his opponent's 12.
Isner statistically has the better serve, but Cressy is far better while moving forward. His serve and volley tactics helped him knock out World No. 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first round of Wimbledon a couple of weeks ago.
Isner faced some difficulty in closing out his quarterfinal match against Bonzi. If he falters yet again, his younger compatriot might rise to the occasion and snatch the match from him. This seems to be an evenly matched contest, but Cressy is likely to edge out his more experienced opponent to reach the final.
Pick: Maxime Cressy to win in three sets.
