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O'Connell loses ding-dong Atlanta battle

Mohen GovenderAAP
Chris O'Connell played a mighty match before going down in three gruelling sets to John Isner.
Camera IconChris O'Connell played a mighty match before going down in three gruelling sets to John Isner. Credit: AAP

Aussie battler and giant-slayer Chris O'Connell is out of the Atlanta Open, his brave run ending in a tough three-set loss to world No.35 John Isner.

In a see-sawing battle that was interrupted by rain, the gallant O'Connell eventually succumbed 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (7-3) 6-4.

After eliminating No.2 seed Jannik Sinner to achieve the best result of his career, another upset seemed on the cards for the 27-year-old Sydneysider who showed true grit and determination to match his more experienced opponent.

Down 4-1 in the first set tie-breaker, O'Connell clawed his way back to 4-4 before the 2018 Wimbledon semi-finallist took control to claim the set.

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A battle ensued in the second set again, with the two trading blows before the world No.132 and underdog dominated the tie-breaker to level the match.

They went shot for shot in the final set before the big American, relying on his booming serve in a 30-ace barrage, achieved the decisive break in the seventh game.

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Such was the closeness of the contest, O'Connell actually won more points in the duel - 106 to 105.

His goal now is to crack the top 100, with the run in Atlanta expected to see him climb at least 10 spots in the rankings.

Isner will now meet Taylor Fritz in the semi-final after he beat fellow countryman Reilly Opelka 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4).

Earlier, Jordan Thompson bowed out of the quarter-finals of an ATP Tour event for the second week running, going down in two tough sets to Brandon Nakashima.

The American is proving to be the Australian's nemesis after also eliminating Thompson from the Los Cabos Open in Mexico last week.

Like on the first occasion when Nakashima won 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-4), Friday's contest was another close affair with the world No.115 triumphing 7-6 (7-5) 7-5.

Six points was the margin between winning and losing, with Thompson dishing out 16 aces to Nakashima's four.

Thompson, who also double faulted three times, struggled when he didn't get his first serve in.

The Sydneysider won just 52 per cent of points on second serve as compared to Nakashima's 75, the most telling statistic of the contest.

Nakashima will now meet Emil Ruusuvuori, who beat No.3 seed Cameron Norrie 7-6 (7-1) 6-3, for a place in the final.

Finn Ruusuvuori converted both his break point opportunities in the surprise win over the in-form Norrie, who won the Los Cabos Open last week and beat Australian Nic Kyrgios in under an hour in the earlier round.

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