Querrey recovers to beat pal and partner Isner

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 11:54

Sam Querrey held his nerve to topple pal and doubles partner John Isner and lift the ATP Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis.

The 22-year-old, who beat defending champion Andy Roddick on his way to the final, battled back from a set down to secure his third ATP title with a 6-7(3) 7-6(5) 6-3.

Davis Cup teammate Isner was left to rue what could have been after the lofty compatriots’ first ATP encounter.

The 6ft 9in American had been just two points from victory after leading 5-2 in the second set tie-break and was made to pay for a tentative volley at 5-5 before 6ft 6in Querrey recovered to level the match and pushed on to victory.

“It feels great,” said Querrey, but added: “It’s tough playing your good buddy like that.

“If anyone else could win the tournament, I’d want it to be him, so you’re not going to get the same reaction from me about it than if I were playing someone else.

“This is the first time we played. Hopefully in the next 10 years we’ll play another 10 or 15 times,” added the Californian. “He’ll win some of those and I’ll win some of those – it’s tough, but something we’ll deal with.”

Isner praised Querrey for holding his nerve when it mattered the most.

“I had the match on my racket,” he said. “He played well when it counted, though – better than me.

“It’s really hard, because I like to think I’ve played really well in those situations in the past. I didn’t do enough with the 5-5 volley and it cost me.”

But Isner showed no signs of ill feeling later in the day as he partnered Querrey to a 6-4 6-4 victory in the doubles final over Ross Hutchins and Jordan Kerr.

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