On another glorious summer day at the Stowe Mountain Lodge Classic, Bradley Klahn from the USA, defeated world #20 Borna Coric 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the semi-finals. In addition to the victory and $5000 paycheck, Klahn had another reason to celebrate – his 28th birthday. Klahn continues his journey back up the ATP rankings following back surgery in 2015 and is back in the top 100 at #95.

Coric, from Croatia and just twenty-one years of age, also has reason to celebrate; a career-high ranking of #20 and his first victory over Roger Federer this past June in the final on the lawns of Halle.

This quarter-final match could have been billed as a serving competition. Klahn, who is left-handed and Coric who is right-handed, both unloaded on first and second serves. A vast number of games were decided by powerful serves and long or netted returns.

The first point of the match was prescient; while Coric and Klahn each served three aces, the number of Klahn’s unreturnable serves was staggering. Most of the points in both sets were under three shots. The few long rallies they did have, were highly entertaining involving two-handed and sliced backhands in addition to drop shots, deft volleys, and exquisite lobs.

They remained on serve through the seventh game of the first set when Coric’s serve suddenly betrayed him. After two consecutive double faults and a barely missed passing shot, Coric faced his first break point of the match and was broken when he threw in another double fault.

Klahn held at love to go up 5-3 as did Coric, hitting an ace on game point for 4-5. Klahn wasted no time wrapping up the first set 6-4 as he hit two unreturnable serves and a scintillating cross-court forehand winner to go up triple set point. Klahn secured the set on the next point as Coric’s usually reliable two-handed backhand found the net.   

Coric served first in the second set and once again, held at love. The American had a much more difficult time holding serve as he miss-hit several forehands and found himself down triple break point. Following two potent serves, he leveled at deuce but once again faced break point when his slice backhand sailed wide. Klahn saved the 4th break point with another huge serve but it was a remarkable running backhand volley passing shot that won the game.

The third game of the second set was one of the longest and oddest as Coric butchered a makeable forehand volley and hit his 4th double fault of the match. Klahn had break point following an outstanding cross-court forehand winner. Coric struggled but managed to hold when he served up his second and third aces of the match.

It looked as if the momentum had swung the Croatian’s way as he made inroads in Klahn’s next service game following a blistering inside-out forehand winner and a wicked backhand winner off the return of serve. Once again, Klahn served his way out of trouble hitting an ace and an unreturnable serve.

As in the first set, they remained on serve thru the seventh game. Coric was broken following three unforced errors off the ground and an errant backhand volley. Klahn held easily to extend his lead to 5-3 and Coric held for 4-5, despite hitting another double fault. The American hit his final ace of the match to go up 40-15 and double match point. Coric executed an incredible slice backhand drop shot winner to save one match point. Incredulously, on the second match point, Klahn hit his first double fault. It was now deuce and it looked as if Klahn might be succumbing to the pressure. He created a third match point with another huge unreturnable serve and the third time was the charm; powerful serve, netted return = game, set, match!