John Isner and Julien Benneteau are the last men standing in Winston-Salem, the final event of the summer before the US Open.
Benneteau is exhausted having already played eight matches this week. The Frenchman started the week as a qualifier but he's battled his way through a very open half of the draw, producing several Houdini acts, not least against Robin Haase last night, saving multiple match points to make the final.
"I am tired,"Benneteau said. "I have some aches and pains. But it’s normal after eight matches in seven days on hardcourt. With the heat and humidity here, it’s tough. But the good thing is I’m more relaxed because of that, almost nonchalant. Usually I’m not like this. I’m more to show my emotions, but I have to save maximum energy. So this is a good thing."
Isner will be supremely confident after taking out compatriot and top seed Andy Roddick 7-6, 6-4 on Friday. The American likes to get plenty of matches in the week before the US Open and he's certainly had his wish.
"It’s nice to be in the finals," he said. "I was just looking forward to coming back home because it’s been eight months, since Christmas, since I’ve been in the state of North Carolina. So it’s just nice coming back home. Even though this is my fourth event in a row, I was fresh, and I definitely wanted to do well here. It’s just such an important event for me because I want to go to New York with momentum, and I have that now."
