ATLANTA — Two-time defending champion John Isner beat Radek Stepanek 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7) Thursday in his opening match in the Atlanta Open. The top-seeded Isner has made the Atlanta finals four of the last five years, winning the last two after losing to Mardy Fish in 2010 and 2011. Yet, this was the first time in six Atlanta appearances that he was not taken to three sets in his first match. Still, Stepanek — previously 4-1 against Isner — stretched both sets only to see Isner move to 12-1 in Atlanta tiebreakers since 2012. While Isner's booming serve was good for 33 aces to three for Stepanek, it was a good thing the world's 19th-ranked player was at “home.” Fans in Atlantic Station favored the former University of Georgia star, especially when the former Bulldog trailed in the second. Earlier, Ukrainian qualifier Denis Kudla upset third-seeded Jack Sock 7-6 (6), 6-3, and No. 6 Steve Johnson and No. 8 Benjamin Becker also tumbled out. Israel's Dudi Sela, who fell in the 2014 final to Isner, beat Becker, from Germany, 7-5, 6-3, and Ricardis Berankis of Lithuania rolled past Johnson, 6-4, 6-2. Isner will face Berankis in the quarterfinals. The top-seeded doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan won the nightcap, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4), over Johnson and Treat Huey. Seeds move up All eight seeds have reached the Swiss Open quarterfinals, making the clay-court tournament the first on the ATP circuit to achieve that feat in six years. Sixth-seeded Joao Sousa of Portugal saved three match points to preserve the record Thursday, going on to beat Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-6 (4). The last tournament where the quarterfinals bracket went with seeding was in Montreal in August 2009, according to the ATP. Top-seeded David Goffin of Belgium needed only 45 minutes to win 6-1, 6-1 against Horacio Zeballos of Argentina. Third-seeded Dominic Thiem of Austria also beat an Argentine opponent in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4 against Federico Delbonis. Thiem next faces seventh-seeded Pablo Carreno of Spain, who won 7-6 (3), 6-4 against Robin Haase of the Netherlands. Azarenka and Hantuchova pull out Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus has withdrawn from next week's WTA event in Washington because of a right shoulder injury, tournament officials said Thursday. American Coco Vandeweghe was given a wildcard into the main draw. Also withdrawing were Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova due to illness and Italy's Sara Errani with a left knee injury. — Agencies
