John Isner’s retirement ends a recurring on-court nightmare for his colleagues on the ATP Tour, who were aced a collective 14,450 times by the American throughout his career. In his final singles match against Michael Mmoh Thursday at the US Open, he fired 48 aces. But no one will be happy to see the all-time ace leader leave.
The 38-year-old has been the ultimate professional since leaving the University of Georgia in 2007, stretching his 6-foot-10 frame to its limits as a stalwart of the game. The No. 1 American in the year-end Pepperstone ATP Rankings for eight of nine years from 2012-20, Isner was also inside the year-end Top 20 for the entirety of the 2010s. He finishes his career with 489 wins among the top 60 in ATP Tour history, bowing out to Mmoh in a fifth-set tie-break.
“Being the top American, I don’t know how many years it was, just maintaining my ranking for a very long time, is something I’m very proud of,” said Isner prior to the final event of his career, the 2023 US Open. “I took great pride in the preparation it took day in, day out, year after year after year. I really truly enjoyed that.
“I think I’ve overachieved. I never imagined myself having this much success for this long… Of course, there’s so many matches I wish I could have back, but I prepared in my mind as best as I possibly could for 17 years. I don’t have many regrets, that’s for sure.”
Gracious and thoughtful both in the press and with his peers, Isner always carried a sense of humour about his serve-dominant game. He was also generous with his time, which will now be spent in his Dallas home alongside his wife Madison and their four young children.
The full Isner gang made the trip to Wimbledon earlier this year, with the American keen for the whole family to experience The Championships before his retirement.
The All England Club has been a special place for the American throughout his career. In his second Wimbledon appearance in 2010, following his maiden ATP Tour title earlier that year in Auckland, Isner played in the longest match in tennis history, beating Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set after 11 hours, five minutes.
John and Maddie Isner with Hunter Grace (4), Hobbs (3), Mack (1 1/2) and Chapel (2 months) at Wimbledon this year.
That iconic match was forever linked with Isner, especially at Wimbledon, but he made more personal history at the event in 2018 by reaching his first major semi-final. That run, which only ended after a 26-24 fifth-set…
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