© 2012 Daily Tennis News Wire -
John Isner has somehow become an unexpected American Davis Cup hope on clay after winning both of his singles rubbers in the weekend 3-2 win over France at the Monte Carlo Country Club. The big man ha put the 32-times champion nation into the September semi-final against holder Spain.

Isner came alive on the surface for wins over Gilles Simon and No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. "I came out there and played very well and I’m just very thrilled with my performance. I’m very happy that our team is going on to the semi-finals.

"I like playing on clay, I played three of my best matches on it this year," said Isner, who beat Roger Federer in the first round in February. "My best wins have come on clay. It’s a surface I enjoy playing on and a surface I feel I can do very well on.

"I had a great week of practice and I was ready to go,” said the American, who now heads to Houston to squander a week of red clay feeling by playing on the American green clay - nothing like the European original.

US captain Jim Courier said he was "surprised to be in the semi-finals but we've earned it. Our players have played top-notch. The semis with Spain are going to be a war of attrition for these players to have enough energy to be ready to go in September."