Isner, Querrey Lead 8-American Surge Friday at ATP Indian Wells

Posted on March 14, 2009

Unseeded American players surged on Friday at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, with eight moving into the second round, led by young U.S. hopes John Isner and Sam Querrey.

The wildcard Isner blew past diminutive Belgian Christophe Rochus 6-1, 6-4, while Querrey topped a decidedly tougher opponent in Guillermo Canas 7-6(2), 6-2.

Canas was a former winner over then-No. 1-ranked Roger Federer in Indian Wells.

Other American winners moving into the second round were qualifier Mike Russell who defeated Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez; qualifier Robert Kendrick who defeated fellow qualifier Bjorn Phau of Germany; wildcard Taylor Dent who stopped Argentina's Diego Junqueira; wildcard Ryan Sweeting who outlast fellow American wildcard Wayne Odesnik 7-6 in the third; qualifier Todd Widom who defeated Spain's Ivan Navarro; and Bobby Reynolds who came from a set down to defeat Italy's Fabio Fognini.

Highlights of Saturday play at Indian Wells includes (2) Roger Federer vs. Marc Gicquel, (13) James Blake vs. Jarkko Nieminen,and unseeded former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt vs. (17) Fernando Gonzalez.