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Both won in three sets without a lost serve

The American scored 36 aces against Lopez, but if it had been Wimbledon, we would have probably seen another match in episodes. This way the tie-break decided the match. Troicki lost the first set to Cilic, but recorded his second win in a row, and his 5th straight win against the Croat. In the last two sets he didn't offer a single break-point

The 10th game of the third set was on, and Isner finally reached his first break-point in the match. Lopez missed the first serve, and in the second he scored an ace. The American seemed surprised, more disappointed, but there was nothing unrealistic in that ace. Combined, they scored 65 in that match which went into the maximal 39 games. If it had been played on Wimbledon, maybe they would have the Isner-Mahut rerun. Be that as it may, both would hold the serve at least until the end of the day.

Even though the match lasted for over two hours, there's not a lot of material to talk about. Lopet had his only break-points by the end of the second set. It was also the set-point. Isner had his two at the end of the third set, and they were also match-points. Each time the server got out. In the first tie-break we saw five serves taken away. The American did better in such a rhythm. In the second one Isner missed two match-points. Both on the return. Lopez thus used the third set-point. The last tie-break was a one-way thing. Up until 3-3 both of them earned points on their serves, and then Lopez earned one more until the end of the match. One or two points decided the winner. Isner earned two points more, they converted 85% of the first serve, so maybe the double errors created the difference. The American had a single one on 36 aces. The Spaniard did six.

Troicki beat Cilic for a second week in a row, and for the fifth time in a row in the last five years. In Stuttgart the Croat was lacking behind during the most of the match, but he took the lead 4-2 in the third set. He missed that advantage. Here he won the first set. No one is probably surprised by the fact that the first set went into a tie-break. Troicki saved three set-points on the serve for a tie-break, and then two more in the tie-break itself. He himself had a set-point at the 8-7 lead, but he lost the following three points, and thus the set.

Confidence is obviously not a problem for the Serbian player in matches against Marin. He opened the second part with a break and finished it with a new one. He earned the serve for the start of the decisive set. He continued to dominate on the serve. Cilic was without a break-point after the first set, after he missed all four. Viktor was obviously the better player. He tried more, risked more and this time he took the lead with 4-2 in the third set. Such an advantage Cilic had in Stuttgart. Troicki didn't miss it.

Just like Isner, Troicki also won in three sets without a lost serve. On the other hand, he earned almost 40% of points on the return, and did three breaks. The last head-to-head between Isner and Troicki was in Monte Carlo. The American won in two sets, but both of them went into a tie-break. Troicki had more chances, a total of seven break-points. All of them remained unused.

There's not much to speculate here. Isner played three tie-break against Lopez and both saved the serve until the end. In the first round Isner played a tie-break of the first set against the unexperienced player Donaldson. This is Troicki's eighth match on grass in two weeks. He lost a serve against Mathieu, but I think that's an exception. The first match on this tournament is going to be laid back. Yesterday he had a serious opponent and he didn't lose the serve in three sets against Cilic. In the last two sets he didn't even offer him a break-points. Everything's clear. I don't expect a lot of opportunities on the return today either. They played a head-to-head in Monte Carlo this season and it ended in two sets without a lost serve. That's why today the choice is the tie-break of the first set. Later they may risk more, the game might become more free, but not in the first set. WillHill has this bet under the offer "1st set correct score" and the 7-6 result will be monitored which is worth no matter who wins the tie-break.