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Can John Isner continue his newfound success in Houston?

By Harry Floyd

KEY BISCAYNE, FL - APRIL 01: John Isner serves to Alexander Zverev of German during the men's final of the Miami Open Presented by Itau at Crandon Park Tennis Center on April 1, 2018 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
KEY BISCAYNE, FL - APRIL 01: John Isner serves to Alexander Zverev of German during the men's final of the Miami Open Presented by Itau at Crandon Park Tennis Center on April 1, 2018 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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John Isner is fresh off of a win at the Miami Open. Now, he looks to continue his newfound success at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships.

American tennis veteran John Isner is a former champion in Houston. He won the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships back in 2013, defeating Nicolás Almagro in straight sets during the finals. His win at the Miami Open last week thrusts him into the top seeded position in Houston. Now the world No. 9 on the ATP World Tour, he enters this week as the favorite.

Other top ranked Americans in action this week include Sam Querrey and rising star Jack Sock. Both are the second and third seeds in Houston respectively. Isner leads the field in men’s singles though and will be the player to beat. He has the experience necessary to win the event again, but the path to a title is not a given.

Sock is also a former champion in Houston. Winning in 2015, he defeated fellow countryman Querrey in the finals. He also finished runner-up in 2016. Querrey, on the other hand, has earned second place finishes at the tournament before. All three of these Americans stand a chance this week in Houston. The fourth seed at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships is Nick Kyrgios.

Rising star Nick Kyrgios is the current world No. 24 on the ATP World Tour. He has seen a successful start to the year so far.

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Kyrgios is always a wildcard on the ATP World Tour. His is young and talented, bringing with him immense experience for a player his age. His athleticism also makes him a contender if he remains focused and determined during a tournament. Despite outbursts on court in the past, Kyrgios has been a strong player so far this year. He has a title-win to go along with a 10-3 singles match record. As the fourth seed in Houston, the Australian is someone to watch throughout the action. As for the top seeded Isner, he squares off against Henri Laaksonen of Switzerland first this week. Their match goes down on Thursday and the American veteran looks to continue his newfound rhythm. If he can make a deep run in Houston, Isner is without a doubt someone to watch in the middle months of the 2018 ATP World Tour. Looking ahead to the French Open, he has reached the fourth round of play twice before. An impressive run in Houston could set him up to be a contender at the upcoming Grand Slam next month.

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Follow all of the action for John Isner and others this week at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships. Check back for updates on the packed field in men’s singles tennis as several top players vie for glory in Houston.

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