Isner hits 27 aces, advances at Paris Masters

First Posted: 10/30/2013

(AP) John Isner and defending champion David Ferrer advanced to the third round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday.

Isner used 27 aces to beat Polish qualifier Michal Przysiezny 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3, and Ferrer overcame Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic 6-0, 2-6, 6-3.

A semifinalist two years ago, Isner broke for a 3-1 lead in the last set when Przysiezny netted a volley. Isner will face second-seeded Novak Djokovic.

Rosol hit 19 winners to only 10 for Ferrer, but the Spaniard made 18 fewer unforced errors.

Roger Federer only needs to win his opening match against Kevin Anderson of South Africa later Wednesday to qualify for the ATP Finals for a 12th straight year.

Also, Juan Martin del Potro beat Marin Cilic of Croatia 6-4, 7-6 (3), and Stan Wawrinka defeated Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Cilic played his second match since the end of his four-month ban for a positive doping test. Del Potro entered the Paris Masters after winning titles at the Swiss Indoors and Japan Open.

Wawrinka stayed in the race for one of the three remaining ATP Finals spots. In the final set, the seventh-seeded Swiss broke Lopez in the second game and did not face any break points.

In other second-round matches, Gilles Simon edged wild card Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3) in an all-French meeting, and Nicolas Almagro of Spain defeated Ivan Dodig of Croatia 6-4, 6-3.