John Isner ambled into the interview room, folded his 6-foot-10 frame into the chair awaiting him at the dais, and contemplated tomorrow.
It had been a long day.
Starting at 11 a.m., the 38-year-old father of four lost to 25-year-old Michael Mmoh in a fifth-set super tiebreak, drawing the curtain on a long and outstanding singles career—one that featured 489 tour victories, 16 ATP titles, 15 Davis Cup singles wins, a record 14,471 aces, 829 tiebreaks, a career-best No. 8 ranking, a Wimbledon semifinal and two US Open quarterfinals.
Three hours later, he was back on court, this time in doubles with Jack Sock, who like Isner announced that this year’s US Open would be his final professional tournament. The duo also lost a thriller, falling to Robert Galloway and Albano Olivetti, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, before a standing-room-only crowd on Court 12.
And just like that, in a whirlwind eight hours, Isner was no longer a professional tennis player.
“It's a range of emotions,” Isner told the assembled reporters. “There's, of course, a lot of disappointment with the result of my singles match today, but at the same time a lot of gratitude, as well, just to have one last time playing in an atmosphere like that. It was very cool.”
“As I said on the court, that's why I work so hard,” Isner continued, breaking into a wry smile. “Hard to explain how bad my body feels. I'm not talking right now, because, yeah, it does, but just in general lately. So, everything I do to get it ready to play, there's a lot that goes into it.”
Isner was the standard-bearer for American tennis in the post-Andy Roddick years, and he carried that mantle with grace and forbearance, sheer force of will wringing every last ounce of ability from his thunderclap of a serve and his lethal forehand. He finished as the top-ranked American in the world rankings on eight occasions, in nine years no less, trailing only Jimmy Connors (nine) for the most all-time among U.S. men.
“I wanted one more US Open and was able to get that, so, it was a fun match overall,” said Isner, who broke on the scene at the 2007 Open, when he reached the third round as a wild card, and he has played every one since. “Of course, the result is disappointing, but I'm proud of what I've achieved in my career.”
For non-tennis fans, Isner will always be remembered for his marathon match at 2010 Wimbledon against Nicolas Mahut, an encounter that went three days, more than 11 hours and ended 70-68 in the fifth set. But Isner’s legacy will endure far beyond that, inspiring players like Mmoh, Chris Eubanks and Ben Shelton—both of whom were in attendance for Isner’s final match—and the cavalcade of American men now dotting the Top 50.
“On the court, I’d like to think that I'm a good competitor,” Isner said, assessing his legacy. “I might not win every match, that's for sure. I might lose a lot of close matches. I might get tight and choke a little bit on the court. But that happens. But also, I care. I love this sport, for sure. I want to be remembered as someone who competed pretty hard on the court. I think I did that. But off the court, I think it's most important within the locker room to have the respect of my colleagues. I think I have that, judging from how many people have spoken to me.”
Isner paused then, visibly emotional, taking a few deep breaths to keep the tears at bay, the weight of the day sinking in as the man who ruled American tennis for so many years contemplated a life without it.
“Tennis has been a huge part of my life,” he said. “It's tough to say goodbye. It's not easy. But eventually I knew this day would come. It's hard to prepare for the emotions of it, but most importantly, man, I have an amazing life. And I look forward to every second of that going forward.”
“I think the decision for me was pretty easy to retire,” Isner continued. “I'm 38 years old. Played a long, long career in tennis. Can't ask for anything more, really, from this sport. It's given me so many amazing moments, moments I'll never forget. … Tennis has given me everything, and I’ll always be thankful for that.”
