John Isner extends tie-break record, but Wu Yibing notches up milestone win – ‘I made history for my country’

Shahida Jacobs
Wu Yibing in action

China has joined the list of ATP singles title winners thanks to Wu Yibing’s heroics at the Dallas Open as the young gun saved four match points to beat home favourite John Isner in the final.

Wu had already made history by becoming the first Chinese man to reach an ATP Tour-level final when he booked his place in the showpiece match with a win over top seed Taylor Fritz and on Sunday he downed the big-serving Isner 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (14-12) in just under three hours to win his and China’s maiden singles title.

“I made history here for my country and for my home,” Wu said during the trophy presentation ceremony. “I’m very proud of myself and especially thanks to all the fans and my team who came here to support. I couldn’t do this without any of you guys.”

Isner himself created history in Dallas this week as he became the first man to win 500 tie-breakers with his quarter-final victory over Emilio Gómez and he took that record to 501 with his semi-final success over fellow American JJ Wolf.

And 501 became 502 as he opened the final against Wu by winning the opening-set tie-breaker. There were also no breaks of serve in the second set, but Isner had a match point saved at 6-6 and Wu then edged the tie-breaker to take it to a decider.

The third set typically also went to a tie-breaker with Wu saving two break points in game nine. Isner then eked out another match point in game 11 of the tie-breaker, but Wu again survived before the Chinese player saw his first match point saved. Another five match points were saved before Wu wrapped it up on his fifth match point.

“It’s a tough one to lose,” Isner, who served 44 aces, said. “I don’t know how many match points I had, I’m sure it’s a lot. I swear I thought I won the match a few times. I know he hit one ball… It had to be [on] the back sixteenth of the line on one of the points… Sports can be brutal. I had match point in the second set too.”

He added: “It’s like he plays every point the same, so definitely no nerves. He gets a ball to hit, he hits it, and on this court it’s hard to hit him a shot he is uncomfortable with… He is an unbelievable ballstriker and a very good talent.”

Wu moved into the top 100 of the ATP Rankings for the first time at the end of January and he has risen to a career-high No 58 after his title-winning run in Dallas.

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