In the arena of professional tennis, the sun has set on John Isner’s illustrious career as he was edged out by fellow American, Michael Mmoh, in a nail-biting five-setter during the US Open’s second round.
38-year-old Isner, who has eight ATP titles and a memorable Wimbledon semi-final appearance in 2018 to his name, found himself on the losing end with a score of 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, 7-6 (10-7). Mmoh mounted an exhilarating comeback from match point down to seize victory in a tension-filled fifth-set tie-breaker.
The atmosphere was electric, the audience on their feet, giving Isner a standing ovation as he fought back tears. “It’s a challenging moment,” Isner admitted. “I’ve poured everything into this game, hustled my entire life for stages like this. While I don’t have a flawless win record—today being a case in point—playing in front of such an audience, with this level of support, is something special. A heartfelt thank you to all.”
Following this singles match, Isner joined forces with Jack Sock for a doubles showdown against Albano Olivetti and Robert Galloway. Unfortunately, they too were bested 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (10-3). Sock, 30, also chose this moment to bow out of professional tennis, leaving the sport with four ATP singles titles and 17 tour-level doubles victories.
In other news, Italy’s Matteo Berrettini found himself forced to withdraw due to an ankle injury while trailing France’s Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 5-3. After a dramatic collapse and agonizing moments on the court, he decided that pushing on was not an option.
On a brighter note, sixth-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner breezed through with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory against fellow countryman, Lorenzo Sonego. Alexander Zverev, the German 12th seed and 2020 finalist, battled his way past Daniel Altmaier in four sets, setting up a must-see match against Grigor Dimitrov, who had earlier ousted Andy Murray.
Isner’s Swan Song
John Isner left the court with an emotional demeanor. It seemed fitting for a man who set records, including the longest match in professional tennis history against Nicolas Mahut back in 2010, to go out with yet another grueling five-set saga. Although this match against Mmoh clocked in at three hours and 57 minutes—far shy of his Wimbledon marathon—it was a fight to the finish.
Isner, who made his pro debut in 2007, achieved a career-high eighth in the ATP rankings and captured 16 singles titles. He hammered in another 48 aces during the match, stretching his record to a staggering 14,470 aces—over 700 more than any other player. So, while the big man might be hanging up his racket, he leaves an indelible mark on the sport.
