Dan Evans overcomes John Isner to stay on course for first ATP title
Monday 25 February 2019 06:32, UK
Dan Evans produced one of the best wins of his career, coming from a set down to beat big-hitting American John Isner and reach the final of the Delray Beach Open.
Evans recovered from a slow start to win 3-6 6-3 6-2 in one hour and 32 minutes, and reach his second ATP Tour final.
This has been the 28-year-old's best week since his return from a one-year ban for cocaine use last April.
The former British number two remains on course to claim his first ATP title - he will play Radu Albot of Moldova in Sunday's final.
Evans, who has guaranteed his return to the world's top 120, was giving away more than a foot in height to the 6ft 10ins Isner in the semi-final.
And the American broke in Evans' first service game to lead 2-0.
Number two seed Isner closed out the first set with a second break of serve, but Evans responded superbly in the next set, breaking to lead 4-2, before adding another break for good measure.
And one further break of serve sufficed in set three as Evans added Isner to an impressive list of victims in Florida, which includes defending champion Frances Tiafoe, and sixth seed Andrea Seppi.
The Brit's last Tour final was the 2017 Apia International Sydney, when he lost to Luxembourg's Gilles Muller.
This time, he will face Albot who came back from a set down to win in three against Mackenzie McDonald.
Albot lost two consecutive service games to drop the first set 6-3 but was unstoppable after that, taking the second and third sets 6-0.