Results - Friday August 14, 2009

Israeli Davis Cup hero Levy upsets top-seeded Istomin

by Jeffrey Dunham
Aug 14, 10:20 pm EDT

Harel Levy

Just last month, Israel’s Harel Levy won both of his singles matches against the heavily-favored Russian team in an absolute Cinderella story of a Davis Cup tie. Dismissed by the Russians in the press, the 31 year-old Levy ignored the rhetoric and defeated Russia’s top player, Igor Andreev, in four sets. This is Levy’s fourth appearance in singles at the LG&T, losing to none other than former top ten player James Blake in 1999 and eventual champion and current world No. 3 Andy Murray of Great Britain in 2005.

In a quarterfinal match against the No. 74 ranked Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, Levy imposed his game on his opponent right from the start, getting a 0-30 advantage by chipping and charging after Istomin’s first two service points. Levy’s continued aggressive play caused Istomin to send his crosscourt forehand wide to gain a service break to start the match. Istomin did not respond well to the pressure as Levy held for 3-1, despite demonstrating incredible Kim Clijsters-like flexibility with at least three leg splits in the first set alone. Levy maintained his break advantage as he drilled a forehand return down the line to gain double set point, converting on a winning backhand shot.

In the second set, both players held serve as a forehand error by Istomin at 4-4 gave Levy break point, but Istomin held with a short angled crosscourt forehand. Istomin got to set point as he hit behind Levy for an inside out forehand winner, but Levy got back to deuce with a strong overhead smash. A well-placed forehand passing shot by Istomin got him another set point, which he converted with a forehand return down the line that mimicked Levy’s winning shot at the end of the first set.

Istomin quickly got a 3-0 lead in the deciding set, and it seemed as if the younger, but not necessarily stronger, player would run his opponent out in the third. However, Levy kept serving and volleying to pull even and break at 4-4 to serve for the match at 5-4. Levy then held easily to win 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Levy agreed that his aggression was the key to the match: "I knew that he was like 60 in the world, so I knew I had to go for it or he would move me all around the court," reflected Levy after his victory. This did indeed seem to be Istomin’s strategy, but he was simply not up to the task this afternoon at the LG&T.