ATLANTA — Top-seeded John Isner advanced to the BB&T Atlanta Open final for the eighth time, beating fourth-seeded Matthew Ebden of Australia 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-1 on Saturday.
Seeking his fifth victory at Atlantic Station in the past six years, Isner will face the winner of the night semifinal between eighth-seeded Ryan Harrison and Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
Isner beat Harrison in the final last year.
“I’ve played both those guys before. Obviously I played Ryan here in the final last year,” Isner said. “It would be great to play him again in the final, two Americans. But we’ll see what happens.”
Isner improved to 4-1 against Ebden, rebounding for a loss in the Australian Open.
“It was tough,” Isner said. “Just like yesterday, I was able to get out early in the third set and that definitely took some pressure off. I’m very happy to be back in the final here. I need to get in the air conditioning and just rest so I could be ready for tomorrow.”
Isner improved to 30-4 in the event, winning his third match in Atlanta after a 6-hour, 36-minute loss — with a 26-24 fifth set — to Kevin Anderson in the Wimbledon semifinals. The 6-foot-10 former University of Georgia star won the Miami Open in April for his 13th ATP Tour title.
Isner is 8-1 in the Atlanta semifinals, with the lone loss coming to Andy Roddick in 2012. Isner’s only other losses in the event came in the finals, to Mardi Fish in 2010 and 2011 and Nick Kyrgios in 2016. Isner won titles in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017.