The American’s second service game went to deuce, before he broke Skupski for the only time in the match.

That was the pivotal moment of the match.

But after upsetting the home crowd by beating the local favourite, Fish returned to court later in the day to delight the Mersey tennis fans.

The 27-year-old had promised to be “totally serious” at the Liverpool International all this week.

But the American ranked 24 in the world earned warm applause from the Calderstones Park crowd yesterday for a generous sporting gesture.

“It might be an exhibition event, but I think any time you go onto a tennis court in front of a crowd you go out to give everything,” he said, ahead of his Mersey debut.

“I will be treating my matches in Liverpool as seriously as I would any other.”

But that still didn’t stop the six feet two inch Floridian from conceding a game clinching point to Liverpool-based Norwegian Freddie Sletting-Johnsen after a joke backfired.

After chasing deep into the tramlines to return a wickedly angled drive from Sletting-Johnsen, Fish was left stranded as his opponent had an empty court to put away a winner.

Anticipating a winner, the American shouted: “Miss it!” then squirmed in embarrassment when Sletting-Johnsen did just that.

“I’m sorry,” he declared. “I shouldn’t have said that.” And promptly conceded the point.

That gave Sletting-Johnsen his third game of the match, but Fish then served out to 15 to complete a convincing 8-3 victory.

His victory opened up the prospect of an all-American final on Saturday after Vince Spadea claimed his place with an 8-3 victory over Stockport prospect Liam Broady.

The 34-year-old from Chicago was making his sixth appearance at the Liverpool International. Broady, almost 20 years his junior, was making his debut and the American’s greater experience showed.

French Open finalist Robin Soderling will seek doctor’s advice before deciding whether to make his Liverpool International debut later today.

The Swedish star, who shocked Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros in Paris on his way to the French final, arrived in Liverpool on Wednesday night, but woke up yesterday morning with a temperature and a sore throat.

After taking part in a brief press conference at Calderstones Park and being introduced to the crowd, he returned to his hotel room to recuperate.

“It’s just one of those things,” said tournament organiser Anders Borg, who saw another Swedish star attraction, Bjorn Borg, ruled out two years ago when the Wimbledon legend was bitten by his neighbour’s dog at a barbecue.

“We’re going to see how he feels in the morning, but with Wimbledon just around the corner he’ll be following doctor’s orders.”