D’Arcy MaineESPN.com6 Minute Reading
An emotional John Isner says goodbye to tennis
John Isner was emotional after ending his singles career in the second round of the US Open to Michael Mmoh.
The former world No. 8 announced that he will retire after the tournament with a social media post last week.
After a match that lasted just under four hours, the 38-year-old Isner addressed the packed Grandstand crowd through tears and sniffles.
“This is why I work as hard as I have all my life, to play in atmospheres like this,” Isner said. “I probably won’t win them all, as we know, like today. To play in front of this crowd and the support I have is very special.”
As he walked out of court, he received a standing ovation from those in the stands and stopped to wave in appreciation before reaching the exit.
Isner left tennis having reached some of the sport’s highest levels. A star at the University of Georgia, who won the NCAA doubles title in 2005 and the team title in 2007, Isner turned pro in 2007 and surprised even himself with what he accomplished in his career.
“I think I overachieved,” Isner said Friday. “I never imagined myself having so much success for so long.”
Those accomplishments include 16 ATP singles titles, eight doubles titles, a Wimbledon semifinal appearance in 2018 and a streak of 10 seasons in which he finished in the year-end top 20. During eight of those seasons, he is the top-ranked American man. . He also holds the ATP record for most career aces with 14,470 — he added 48 more to his total in his last match — and for fastest serve at 157.2 miles per hour.
“I think he has the best serve in the history of the game,” three-time major champion Andy Murray said Tuesday. “Amazing technique. First and second serve, can do it all.”
Besides his towering 6-foot-10 frame, Isner is perhaps best known for his role in the longest match in professional tennis history. During the first round of Wimbledon in 2010, Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut in a match that lasted more than 11 hours, spanned three days and required 183 games.
Current position No. 157, Isner has struggled this season. His first round win over Facundo Diaz Acosta on Tuesday marked his first major win of the season and his ninth win of the year. He was candid when speaking to the media about the impact of his inability to play and train at the standard he wanted on his decision to retire.
“I want to play as hard as I can,” Isner said. “If my results were better this year, I probably wouldn’t be talking to you right now. That hasn’t happened yet.
“This year has been difficult health-wise; I have something in the foot that has been bothering me for a long time. I haven’t been able to train at all, but I’m still playing without much practice. It’s not much fun. It’s been too hard for me to just trying to get myself healthy and just can’t do it. [it was] very taxing in my opinion. Then you take a few losses here and there, and it’s going to be tough, pretty debilitating.”
During his two games in New York, he had tape on his left knee and right calf. But Isner insists he does not regret his decision and is looking forward to spending time with his wife and four children, as well as pursuing other interests. He said he would probably do a job in television as an analyst and explore business opportunities.
Following his first-round win on Tuesday, he was honored in a ceremony at Louis Armstrong Stadium. There is a video showing some of his career highlights; he was presented with a framed picture of the tournament; and his family and friends, including former players Sam Querrey and Bob and Mike Bryan, joined him on the court.
But he made it clear when he told people he wasn’t done yet.
“It’s not goodbye yet,” he said. “I’m still alive. I’m actually fine, so I’ll try to keep this thing going as long as I can.”
Isner’s time at the US Open is far from over. He is scheduled to open doubles play with fellow American Jack Sock, who also announced his retirement at the end of the tournament, later on Thursday. The duo, who have won three Masters 1000-level titles, will face Albano Olivetti and Robert Galloway.
The sinner prospers
Jannik Sinner advanced to the third round Thursday with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego.
Sixth-seeded Sinner improved to 10-0 lifetime against his countrymen. He is looking for a deep run at Flushing Meadows after reaching the semifinals of this year’s Wimbledon and the quarterfinals of last year’s US Open, losing to Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set marathon after holding match point.
“I felt now my game has improved a little bit and developed,” said the 22-year-old, who won 89% of his first-serve points and was successful in 22 of 25 trips to the net. “Physically, I’m fine, and we’ll see what the future holds.”
Elsewhere, Jack Draper upset a seemingly ill Hubert Hurkacz 6-2, 6-4, 7-5, extending his return to the tour after more than two months out with a shoulder injury.
Draper, a 21-year-old Brit who only returned to the tour in early August, showed no signs of damage with powerful serves and groundstrokes, while Hurkacz appeared listless at times. and medics were called to the courtside during a change in the final set.
It dashed the hopes of the 17th seed from Poland, who entered the US Open after a strong semifinal showing at the tuneup event in Cincinnati, where he had a match point against No. 1 Alcaraz before finally losing in three sets.
Alexander Zverev, the No. 12 seed, defeated fellow German Daniel Altmaier 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in his return on outdoor Court 17. Zverev was one of the few players to notice the smelled of marijuana in court in the first round, describing it as smelling like “Snoop Dogg’s living room.”
“I think it will remain a grass court for the tournament,” he said Thursday.
For Zverev, a US Open finalist in 2020, it marked his fifth straight advance to the third round of the tournament. He will face the No. 19 seed Grigor Dimitrov, who defeated Andy Murray in a convincing 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium that included 45 unforced errors from the British two-time Grand Slam champion .
In another action, Andy Murray will face No. 19 seed Grigor Dimitrov.
In the night matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium, defending champion Alcaraz will face Lloyd Harris, a South African player who reached the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows in 2021, and the No. 3 that Jessica Pegula will face Patricia Maria Tig.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.