ATLANTA — Two-time defending champion John Isner ran his Atlanta Open winning streak to 10 matches Friday, riding his big serve to a 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over Ricardis Berankis.
The top-seeded Isner had 19 aces less than 24 hours after ripping off 33 in a two-set victory over Radek Stepanek. Isner will face training partner Denis Kudla Saturday in his 34th ATP Tour semifinal. Kudla, a qualifier, beat Dudi Sela 7-5, 6-0 to reach his first ATP semifinal.
In the night quarterfinals, seventh-seeded Gilles Muller of Luxemborg beat Japan's Go Soeda 7-5, 6-1, and fifth-seeded Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus topped second-seeded Vasek Pospisil of Canada 6-4, 7-5 (5).