Anderson advances to final
Second semifinal between Isner, Cilic delayed by rain
DELRAYBEACH— IfKevin Anderson were any more comfortable on stadium court in the Delray Beach Tennis Center, they’d have to put a recliner behind the baseline instead of the red convertible Porsche that’s been parked there all week.
Anderson won the Delray Beach Open in 2012, his second of two career ATP titles, and soon after bought a condo to share with wife Kelsey, that’s within walking distance of the complex.
The fourth- seeded Anderson has been practicing on center court for the last few weeks, and on a breezy Saturday afternoon the lanky, 6- foot- 8 South African native took advantage of American qualifier StevieJohnson’s nervesenroute to a 6- 2, 6- 4 victory to reach his seventh career final ( 2- 4).
Anderson, 27, is 13- 3 in his adopted hometown tournament, and will face the eventual winner of
the John Isner- Marin Cilic rain- delayed match that hadn’t started as of 10 p. m. If the match is postponed, the semifinal will be played Sunday morning, with the winner having to also play later that afternoon, clearly an advantage for Anderson.
“I’ve always felt the surface is one I enjoy playing on,’’ said the 21st- ranked Anderson. “My in- laws were fromhere. My wifewas born inWest Palm Beach and she lived here since shewas10.
“Atlantic [ Avenue] is great, the beach is awesome. We just liked it from the minute we set foot here.’’
Anderson got off to a blazing start, breaking the fourtime USC All- American in the first game after trailing 40- 15 as a jittery Johnson sprayed his groundstrokes in the early stages of his first careerATP semifinal.
“Iwas definitelyalittleuptight out there, my first time in a semi,’’ said Johnson, 24, whowonaDallas Challenger two weeks ago and should improve from No. 142 to 114 after knocking off 12th- ranked Tommy Haas and 27th- ranked Feliciano Lopez.
“It’s kind of a bummer. If I can win that first game I think it changes the whole pulse of the match.… Hewas able to serve out of jams, and when I felt there was an opening here came an ace.’’
Anderson, who’s third on the Tour in aces with 686, including 13 Saturday, never faced a break point as he mixed in 130- mph bombs down the tee with slices out wide that Johnson couldn’t handle.
“I was just hitting my spots, mixing it up,’’ said Anderson, who’s 3- 6 against Isner and1- 3 against Cilic.
Johnson settled down in the second set, but after battlingbackfrom040at 2- 3on Anderson’s serve, Johnson relied toomuchonhis defensive slice instead of forcing the action. Anderson held for 3- 3andthen achievedthe decisive break when Johnson shanked his second serve into the seats.
“When Stevie got it back to deuce [ at 2- 3] and got a second serve, I think he’ll learnandrecognize that’s the timeformeto slap back,’’ said Johnson’s coach Craig Boynton. “I’ve been taking a lot of body blows and it’s time for me to land one. That comes with experience. He had a great tournament.’’
Bryan brothers roll into finals
Before the rains came the top- seeded doubles tandem of and cruised to a 6- 2, 6- 1 victory over young Americans
and an entertaining, semifinal.
The twins, who won Delray in 2009 and ’ 10, will play unseeded
and who downed andSamGroth, 6- 4,3- 6,10- 8 in the other semi. The last time the Bryans hadn’twon a title in the first twomonthsof the yearwas in 2008.
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in lopsided