ISNER

TOPS

ALMAGRO

FOR

US MEN’S CLAY COURT

CHAMPIONSHIP

HOUSTON — From Nicolas Almagro’s vantage point, there was nothing unusual about John Isner’s serves on Sunday.

They were as difficult as always.

Isner had seven aces and won the battle of big serves with a 6-3, 7-5 victory in the final of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship.

Isner won his first tournament of the year and the sixth of his career. He had a record 64 aces for the tournament. He broke the record of 60 set by Pete Sampras in 2002. Almagro leads the ATP Tour with 266 aces. He had five against Isner.

Isner won $82,300 and Almagro earned $43,310.

Isner is the first American to appear in an ATP Tour final this year. Isner lost to Juan Monaco 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in last year’s final.

ROBREDO

BEATS

ANDERSON

TO WIN

GRAND PRIX HASSAN II  

CASABLANCA…

VINCI

CONQUERS

KVITOVA

&

KATOWICE

KATOWICE, Poland – After dropping 61 60 scorelines on her last two opponents, it was pretty clear she was in top form – from the baseline to the net and from her powerful forehands to her slice backhands, Roberta Vinci was just too sharp against Petra Kvitova in the final of the BNP Paribas Katowice Open, winning a tight first set then cruising to victory against the World No.8, 76(2) 61.

“I played a really good game today,” Vinci said after the match. 

“It was a very tough match against Roberta today,” Kvitova said. 

Vinci now has eight WTA titles, 

Vinci’s first eight Top 10 wins included two in 2005 (No.10 Anastasia Myskina at Eastbourne and No.10Patty Schnyder at Luxembourg), one in 2009 (No.10 Flavia Pennetta at Tokyo), one in 2011 (No.1Caroline Wozniacki at Toronto), two in 2012 (No.7 Angelique Kerber at Montréal…