MASON, Ohio -- John Isners absence from the ATP top 20 will be brief. The 6-foot-10 American made sure of that Saturday, rallying to beat seventh-seeded Juan Martin del Potro 6-7 (4), 7-6 (9), 6-3 in a grueling Western & Southern Open semifinal. Isner, who fell from No. 20 to 22 this week, will return to the top 20 after a stimulating Cincinnati run that includes beating three straight top-10 players for the first time in his career while earning his second Masters 1000 series finals appearance and first in Cincinnati. His previous Masters 1000 final appearance was at Indian Wells in 2012. "Its awesome to be at this stage again," said Isner, who beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals and No. 8 Richard Gasquet in the second round. "Ive been playing pretty well this season, but this tournament is where Ive really started to put it all together. Im playing pretty well in all facets of the game." Isner, in his first appearance in the tournaments semifinals, had been 0-4 against the Argentine. Hell play third-seeded Rafael Nadal, who beat sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych 7-5, 7-6 (4) in the other semifinal to reach the tournament final for the first time in nine appearances. "This is one tournament that Ive never been able to play well, so its something special to play well in a place I never did in the past," said Nadal, 3-0 in his career against Isner. "Im very happy for that. I am having the right feelings on court. Im playing aggressive, and the crowd here is great." Nadal extended his personal winning streak against the Czech to 14 matches while improving his overall season record 52-3, including 14-0 on hardcourts. After winning at Montreal last week, the Spaniard will be making back-to-back appearances in hardcourt finals for the first time in his career. Hes 15-1 against top-10 players this season. Top-ranked Serena Williams also will be making her first career appearance in the events championship match after ousting defending champion Li Na, 7-5, 7-5, in the first womens semifinal. Williams, seeking her ninth title of the year, advanced when Li double-faulted on match point. Williams improved to 60-3 this season. "I really would not have predicted myself being in the finals here at all, so its definitely pretty exciting for me," said Williams, who clinched the 2013 Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series womens title with the win and can earn a $1 million bonus if she wins the U.S. Open. "Really unexpected for me, too. I came in here not playing my best, and now Im in the final. Its just almost weird." Williams will play second-seeded Victoria Azarenka in Sundays final. Azarenka beat 14th-seeded Jelena Jankovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in a semifinal that featured 23 service breaks in 27 games. Isner needed 2 hours, 47 minutes to improve to 16-3 since retiring from Wimbledon in the second round because of a left knee injury. He finished off the win when del Potro sent a backhand from the baseline into the net. Despite tossing into a persistent swirling breeze and bright sunshine, both players served so effectively early that the first set included just one break point, fought off by the 22nd-ranked Isner. The 6-foot-6 Del Potro came up with a crucial mini-break on the 11th point of the tiebreaker when Isner sailed his backhand volley wide to lose the set. Del Potro broke Isner in the eighth game of the second set to put himself into position to serve for the match, but he double-faulted on match point and Isner came up with his own break to stay alive and eventually force a tiebreak that he won when del Potro sent a forehand wide to the deuce court. "I think I lost the match in the second set," del Potro said. "That was my chance to beat him. He was fighting all the time and deserved to win the third set, but I missed my chance." "I know, at that moment, that the sun on that side was pretty bad," said Isner, who can become the first American to win the tournament since Andy Roddick in 2006. "We both struggled with that for about 30 minutes." Despite the loss to Nadal, Berdych still will move up a notch in the rankings to a career-high fifth, passing Roger Federer. "That makes it probably even more special," Berdych said. Discount Air Max Shoes Wholesale . Blackwood, 28, has played the last three seasons in the San Diego Padres system, including the past two summers with Class AA San Antonio of the Texas League. Discount Air Max Shoes Wholesale China .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. http://www.cheapairmaxdiscount.com/ . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Discont Nike Air Max Shoes Cheap . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. Air Max Discount . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. Ankit Bawne has had an intriguing career. He made his first-class debut at 15, in 2007-08, and established himself as a regular in the Maharashtra side in three years. Since 2010-11, he has never averaged less than 45 in a Ranji Trophy season. Six days shy of turning 24, Bawne is already some sort of veteran: he has played 68 first-class matches and scored 4663 runs at an average of 52.98, including 15 hundreds. A List A average of 43.08 from 43 games suggests he is not a one-format player.Despite his numbers, Bawne has never been part of India A or IPL squads. He doesnt deny feeling disappointed but offers a practical alternative to sulking. There is just one goal - to play for India. Till that time, I have to keep fighting, he tells ESPNcricinfo at the end of Maharashtras Group B match against Assam in Chennai. I look at it positively because in cricket there is no point in being negative; you only get demotivated.Five years ago Bawne could have easily become demotivated after making headlines for the wrong reasons. He was removed from the India under-19 squad ahead of a quadrangular tournament in Visakhapatnam after the date of birth in his passport was found to not match the one in his birth certificate and the BCCIs records. As it didnt meet the cut-off date for the 2012 Under-19 World Cup, Bawne, who was originally named captain for the quadrangular tournament, was omitted. Unmukt Chand took over the captaincy and went on to win the World Cup, even as Bawne lamented that the agent who had arranged for his passport had mixed up the dates.Bawne does not think the episode hindered his future selections, but admits the controversy was a test of his mental toughness, especially with the odd taunt tossed at him on the field. You have to endure such stuff. In cricket, there are no easy days, he says. The support of my family, the team coach and Ajay [Shirke] sir, our president [of the Maharashtra Cricket Association], was crucial. But, you have to be tough and remain steadfast in your goals. The character I showed at that time has led to where I am now.The Under-19 was a shortcut for me to the national side, but the ultimate dream is to play for the senior team. I dont think [my performances are overshadowed by the controversy] because Ranji Trophy is not an under-19 tournament. The selectors have played enough cricket to know that Ranji Trophy performances count as far as selection for Test cricket is concerned. Many players obviously get a chance by virtue of the IPL, but I am not a part of the IPL, so Ranji Trophy is everything to me.Many quality players in domestic cricket have rued the chance for lesser talents to attract selectors attentions with a few good IPL performances. Bawne too says not playing in the IPL is a setback because of the recall value it brings.It is a little tough at the Ranji Trophy level compared to the IPL; this time there are no [league] matches being broadcast in contrast to the IPL where every match is shown live. Teen ghante ka match hota hai, 14 matches hote hai, do shot bhi koi achcha khela toh notice ho jaata hai (the game spans three hours and there are 14 matches. Even if someone plays two good shots, he gets noticed).Bawne, however, understands there are many routes to the Indian dressing room, and that batsmen better than him have taken the harder route and succeeded. He derives comfort from how long the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane had to grind it out in domestic cricket before breaking into the national side. A chat with Virender Sehwag further strengthened his belief that tthe rigours of the Ranji Trophy would ultimately prove rewarding.ddddddddddddPujara and Rahane got their chances after scoring about 5000 runs in first-class cricket, Bawne says. When you play 60-70 first-class matches and then play Test cricket, you see how these players dominate in international cricket.During the last season, when we were playing against Haryana, I asked Virender Sehwag sir how I could make the step up to the next level. He told me I was playing well and I will get my chances. It wasnt like I would be completely ignored.Bawne knows he has to score at least 700-800 runs every season - his personal target hovers around the 1000-run mark - to be on the selectors radar. He is Maharashtras leading run-getter this season with 687 runs at an average of 57.25, but will not get any more opportunities to inch towards 1000 runs with his team failing to make the knockouts.The accomplishment of a maiden double-hundred, though, has given him plenty of satisfaction. His 258 came in the course of the second-highest partnership in first-class history in the company of captain Swapnil Gugale in Delhi.Whatever I have set out to achieve - to score big runs, to remain consistent and average around 50 - I have done that. I wanted to score a double-hundred this time, he says. I bat at No.5-6, so I mostly have to score runs with the bowlers for company. Luckily against Mumbai, since Kedar Jadhav was away for the New Zealand [ODI] series, I got to bat at No.4. It was a good wicket and there was a quality opposition in the form of Delhi, so I couldnt let go of that chance.Bawne also sees a role-model in Indias limited-overs captain MS Dhoni. In 2014-15, when Bawne hit a dead-end in his limited-overs batting, he decided to re-invent his game. Bawne says he picked up cues from watching Dhoni on TV and applied the knowledge during practice. The results were instant as Bawne scored two hundreds and an unbeaten 78 from four innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.I have been inspired by how he [Dhoni] makes runs in the one-dayers, especially with the lower order, and how he plays percentage cricket, he says. I didnt want to be a one-dimensional player and wanted to average around 45-50 in one-dayers. I was trying to clear the ropes, and focusing on my release shots as well.Closer home, Bawne has found inspiration in Jadhav, whose recent successes in international cricket, he feels, have provided him and his team-mates a template to follow.When six-seven players from Mumbai or Delhi used to make it to the Indian team, it became easier for the others to stay under the radar and keep performing, he says. I got to know what the path was after seven-eight years of hard-work. Had there been an India player in the side, you would have learnt it in two years.Now we know the path to succeed - Kedar has scored 1000 runs and progressed. When I talk to Kedar, he says its a big deal to have 5000-odd runs at my age and keeps telling me to stick it out.That would be good advice, especially with the chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad, taking notice of Bawnes performances. His records have been good, but this year he has been very consistent, Prasad tells ESPNcricinfo. My colleagues have watched him bat this season and I have seen him bat last year. He is a good player.Bawne feels he is currently in the best form of his life. This year I am feeling very comfortable, he says. I am not trying to take risks and I dont feel nervous at all. 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