<p>The towering Isner came from 1-3 down in the second set to beat top-seeded Roddick in just over 90 minutes, and will take on French qualifier Julien Benneteau in Saturday’s final. <br /><br />Benneteau fought back in a wildly fluctuating encounter to beat 10th-seeded Dutchman Robin Haase 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, saving two match points in the final-set tiebreak which he clinched 8-6. <br /><br />Isner, who grew up in nearby Greensboro, was delighted to beat Roddick in front of his hometown fans and reach his third ATP World Tour final this year. <br /><br />“It’s such an important event for me,” the six-foot nine-inch American told reporters after unleashing eight aces and winning 61 percent of points on his second serve. “I definitely wanted to do well here. <br /><br />“I want to go up to New York (for the US Open) with some momentum and that’s what I have right now.”<br /><br />Li stunned<br /><br />French Open champion Li Na of China was upset 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 by Czech qualifier Petra Cetkovska in the semi-finals of the New Haven Open in New York on Friday. <br /><br />Cetkovska, ranked a career-high 40th in the world, will face world number one Caroline Wozniacki in Saturday’s final, the Dane having beaten Italy’s Francesca Schiavone 7-6, 6-3 in the last four. <br /><br />Cetkovska clinched the decisive tiebreak 11-9 at the end of a battle with Li lasting two hours and 41 minutes. <br /><br />The 26-year-old Czech has yet to win a WTA event but is on an upward curve, reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon this year after winning three ITF titles last season.</p>
<p>The towering Isner came from 1-3 down in the second set to beat top-seeded Roddick in just over 90 minutes, and will take on French qualifier Julien Benneteau in Saturday’s final. <br /><br />Benneteau fought back in a wildly fluctuating encounter to beat 10th-seeded Dutchman Robin Haase 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, saving two match points in the final-set tiebreak which he clinched 8-6. <br /><br />Isner, who grew up in nearby Greensboro, was delighted to beat Roddick in front of his hometown fans and reach his third ATP World Tour final this year. <br /><br />“It’s such an important event for me,” the six-foot nine-inch American told reporters after unleashing eight aces and winning 61 percent of points on his second serve. “I definitely wanted to do well here. <br /><br />“I want to go up to New York (for the US Open) with some momentum and that’s what I have right now.”<br /><br />Li stunned<br /><br />French Open champion Li Na of China was upset 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 by Czech qualifier Petra Cetkovska in the semi-finals of the New Haven Open in New York on Friday. <br /><br />Cetkovska, ranked a career-high 40th in the world, will face world number one Caroline Wozniacki in Saturday’s final, the Dane having beaten Italy’s Francesca Schiavone 7-6, 6-3 in the last four. <br /><br />Cetkovska clinched the decisive tiebreak 11-9 at the end of a battle with Li lasting two hours and 41 minutes. <br /><br />The 26-year-old Czech has yet to win a WTA event but is on an upward curve, reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon this year after winning three ITF titles last season.</p>
