John Isner Loses in US Open Second Round, Retires from Tennis

The giant of tennis, John Isner, has finally hung up his racquet. Arguably the greatest American male tennis player of the 2010s, John Isner’s career certainly inspired many young players to pick up the sport and serve a bit well at the same time. In a hard-fought match on Grandstand, Isner fell to compatriot Michael Mmoh 6-3 6-4 6-7(3) 4-6 6-7(7), in front of a packed crowd. Isner served 48 aces, to finish his career with an all-time high 14,470.

Isner started strong, breaking serve in each of the first two sets. But as Mmoh settled in and found his rhythm, Isner began to fade the longer the match went.

The Career of John Isner

A Storied UGA Tennis Career

John Isner became a staple of American men’s tennis long before he made it to the professional tennis tour. One of the highest-ranked junior players, Isner accepted a scholarship to play on the University of Georgia men’s tennis team in 2003. Unlike many top players who turned pro in the midst of their college careers, Isner was a loyal four-year starter for the Bulldogs. From 2003 to 2007, the American compiled a win-loss record of 143-28 in singles and 140-27 in doubles. College players would already witness his big serve, with Isner’s big weapon paying off in critical matches. The University of Georgia men’s team won the 2007 NCAA Tournament, with Isner clinching a crucial 6-1 7-6(1) win over Kevin Anderson in the first singles match, one of his biggest rivals.

Despite Isner’s highs with the Bulldogs, he also experienced many crushing blows. There was no bigger defeat than his difficult loss to Somdev Devvvarman in the final of the 2007 NCAA Individual Tournament. In front of a vocal Georgia crowd, the American lost 7-6 in the third. It was one of many final-set tiebreak losses for Isner, whose big serve would frequently find him in intense and pressure-filled matches.

At the same time, Isner won countless final-set tiebreaks, with three of them clinching ATP titles for the American. In general, Isner won 504 tiebreaks throughout his professional career, winning a whopping 92% of his service games.

A Breakthrough, and The Never-Ending Tennis Match

Isner first made headway on the professional tour after he made the final of the 2007 Citi Open. That tournament would eventually become a staple on his calendar, with Isner consistently drawing big crowds in the nation’s capital. A couple of weeks later, he took the former World No. 1 Roger Federer to four sets at the 2007 US Open. Yet after that, he faded a bit from the bustling top of men’s tennis. The American did not win a match at Grand Slam level in 2008 and struggled with an illness that kept him out of the crucial midpoint of the tennis season one year later. However, Isner slowly gained momentum on the ATP Tour and eventually picked up his first Top 10 win over Gael Monfils.

The 2009 US Open was another significant fortnight for Isner. Isner had a positive summer swing that year, making the semifinals of the Washington Open. With momentum now on his side, Isner stunned World No. 5 Andy Roddick in the third round of the year’s final Major. Isner pulled through a brutal five-set match in front of a primetime Arthur Ashe crowd, winning 7-6(3) 6-3 3-6 5-7 7-6(5).

Known as a marathon man in tennis, no bigger marathon was his unbelievable Wimbledon 2010 match against Nicolas Mahut. As a match that started in front of an intimate Court 18 crowd, Isner would serve 113 aces, served bullets up to 143 mph, and most importantly demonstrated true mental toughness. In an 11-hour and 5-minute match, Isner defeated Mahut in a never-forgotten 70-68 fifth set. The match took three days to complete due to darkness and is popularly known as the longest match in tennis history. (We have embedded the highlights, but Wimbledon has also published the entire match on its Youtube page.)