Hanging in there against the big-serving Isner, Johnson weathered a total of 12 set points and withstood 29 aces to win their all-American quarterfinal at the Citi Open 7-6 (7), 7-6 (15) on Friday.
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Johnson, ranked a career-high 25th, next faces another serve smasher in 37-year-old Croatian Ivo Karlovic, who blasted 26 aces to dispatch USA sixth seed Jack Sock 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (8/6).
Monfils, the 2011 runner-up at Washington, advanced by breaking Alexander Zverev four times in a 6-4 6-0 victory that lasted only an hour.
Prediction: While it would certainly be something to see the 37-year-old Karlovic take the title at a 500-level tournament, I think that Monfils will win in three sets because he is the better player and will, in my opinion, win the bigger points in (probably) a tiebreak.
Asked at his news conference about the exchanges, Johnson said he doesn’t “take it seriously, whatsoever” and considers those sending pointed messages his way “useless human beings”.
The opening set went to Karlovic who made the only break in game 11.
Karlovic, who averaged 22 aces in his first three wins at the U.S. capital, has not surrendered a service break this week.
Karlovic last reached the semifinals of the Citi Open when Johnson was a high school junior.
Konta, ranked 18th in the world and seeded third, appeared on her way to an emphatic victory in her first career final after racing to a 4-1 lead with two breaks of serve in the second set.
In the decider, Karlovic’s serve faltered nearly immediately and Monfils quickly broke.
“To be honest, today was pure luck”, Monfils said.
The Frenchman began his clay court campaign in the principality of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters and he went on to reach his third Masters 1,000 final and he gave nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal a good run for his money but ultimately fell away in the final set to lose the match.
In the next game, Karlovic rocketed a service return forehand victor past Johnson and then dropped a slice backhand victor on the line to break for a 2-1 lead.
Johnson serves well, too, and he came into the semifinal having held in all 32 of his service games in the tournament, saving 7 of 7 break points. Karlovic was also ahead in the return game, saving all three break point opportunities from Steve Johnson.
Monfils was asked on what he recalls best about his finals opponent Ivo Karlovic, considering that their last match took place half a decade ago. I put in a lot of hard work and it paid off. Among Johnson’s choice phrases: “Learn English so we know what you are trying to say” and “you are an idiot”. “I was winning and winning and now I’m in the final, which is unbelievable”. I’ve dealt with that in many matches and usually I’m able to get over it. 6-4 saving a match point.
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– Daniel Nestor and Edouard Roger-Vasselin lifted their second team trophy on the ATP World Tour. “We know top 25 for us is not the end goal”.
