John Isner squeezes past Marinko Matosevic in Madrid

John Isner has edged into the third round of the Madrid Open with a narrow three-set win over Australia's Marinko Matosevic.

The American will now face fifth seed David Ferrer for a place in the quarter-finals of the tournament.

Both players held serve during a tight opening set before ninth seed Isner came through the tie-break 11-9.

It was a similar story in the second as the pair refused to give anything away, but this time it was Matosevic who took the tie-break 7-5.

The deciding set looked to be heading towards yet another tie-break as both men continued to hold their serves, only for Isner to break at the death to clinch it 7-5.