American John Isner ensured a return to the world’s top twenty next week after defeating world number one Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Masters 2013 in a three-set thriller 7-6, 3-6, 7-5.
This week marked the first time in the history of computer rankings that no American male tennis player is in the world’s top twenty. However, Isner’s run in the final four at an ATP Masters 1000 event guarantees to halt the streak to just one week.
Aside from this, Isner also halted Novak Djokovic’s aim to secure the historic Career Golden Masters – a term coined for a player to have won all of the ATP Masters 1000 titles in the course of their career. The Cincinnati Masters is the only event Djokovic has yet to win but came close four times in the past, finishing as runner-up in those occasions.
Isner will next face Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina in the semifinals on Saturday.
