By Scoop Malinowski
The American tennis great John Isner retired earlier this month from professional tennis. But the sixteen-time ATP champion and former ATP world no. 8 has left his mark on the sport, achieving outstanding success and results, victories vs Federer, Nadal, Murray and Djokovic and also popularity and friendship with his peers…
One of the great overachievers in the ATP this century, Isner’s career is over but his legacy of consistent tennis excellence, sportsmanship and fierce competitive spirit will not be forgotten …
Don Petrine: One of my kids played Isner in Kalamazoo. Billy Mulligan was about five-foot-eight, ranked about 6 in Florida. I remember Isner hit a second serve that kicked and aced Billy over his head – with racquet extended. It was on like court six or seven where you can sit behind the netting. You can sit and watch it, really good seating. That was the first year I ever saw John Isner. He hadn’t done much in juniors and then suddenly he started rising fast. Everybody was saying, You have to see this kid play. I think he sort of came out of nowhere.
Reilly Opelka: Since I was nine years old I have been watching John Isner. I had never seen a serve like it, and loved watching him because he made every point seem like a pressure point and I was amazed at how clutch he was in those moments. I had no idea when I was nine years old, that I would grow to be 7ft and end up modeling my entire game after John Isner. I couldn’t have asked for a better role model to follow. Almost twenty years of being a top player in the world speaks for itself. I used to be able to count on his next opponent texting me asking for a practice.
Michael Zheng (New York Open hitting partner): Isner’s second serve was unbelievable. It was just like, over my head, over my racquet when I tried to reach for it. Unbelievable.
Question: What would you say was the highlight of the overall experience of being a New York Open hitting partner?
Michael Zheng: It was Isner. Just a top 20 player, another level. Very professional. He was super nice. His coach (David MacPherson) was super nice. He gave some tips. We talked a little bit about going to college. I think that was the highlight.
Question: Isner gave you some tips?
Michael Zheng: He told me I was good. He didn’t want me to go to Harvard (Michael is considering Harvard, Stanford, among other university options in 2022 – he chose Columbia) because, I don’t know, he’s not enemies with James Blake, just like, banter. He didn’t want me to go to Harvard. Blake went to Harvard. He wanted me to go to Georgia (Isner’s alma mater). He was talking about the coach. I don’t know if it was advice, per say. It was just fun talking like friendly chatter.
Michael Ray Pallares: When I trained at Saddle Brook I’d sometimes hit with juniors and Futures guys. One day I was hitting with high level ITF juniors, playing practice sets. Later that day I got a call from John Isner’s coach David Macpherson. He asked me if I’d like to hit with John at 10 am the next morning. At first I thought John was another junior. I said, I’d love to hit with John Isner. So I go by the next morning and I’m hitting with John Isner at Saddle Brook. The one thing that was really cool while we were drilling and training was during water breaks, he’d talk about Georgia Bulldogs and different things. He was very down to earth. I asked him what his next tournament was, he said Shanghai Masters. Then he asked me what tournament I was playing next? I said, a Futures in Lagos, Nigeria. And then we proceeded to talk about playing in Lagos, Nigeria for about fifteen minutes [smiles]. I think that was really cool of him. He was more interested in a Futures in Lagos, Nigeria than talking about Shanghai Masters. He was really chill, down to earth. I got to hit with him ten to fifteen times. Super nice, chill guy.
Harry Cicma: So many great moments with Isner, but when John was in his senior year at Georgia in 2005, I was producing the “College Corner” Radio show on 1510AM The Zone in Boston, and I interviewed Isner right before he went pro, and he said “I have a big serve, which many people on the pro tour don’t…” And I didn’t think much about it, and of course eighteen years later, he has quite possibly the best serve of all time, so it’s amazing he knew his serve’s power the whole time.
David Macpherson Interview Summer 2022 …
Question: John Isner is still going strong and having another very good year in 2022, how does he do it?
David Macpherson: He just had a good grass court season (semifinals of Newport, third round of Wimbledon, including a four set win vs Andy Murray and a five set win vs Enzo Couacaud), He’s quite a remarkable athlete and competitor. He takes great care of his body, at six-foot-ten and 37 years old, he still moves beautifully. He’s a better net player now and his returns are getting better every year. It’s tough to keep up with all the young studs coming up. It’s certainly a challenge. He has a personal trainer in Dallas who makes specific programs for his body. He has a great acupuncturist for body realignment. He also travels with a great chiropractor. They keep his body all in one piece. He eats well, hydrates well. He is a consummate professional. At age 37 and being six-foot-ten it’s a remarkable effort.
Question: Do you believe he can still improve?
David Macpherson: Absolutely. A few shots can be improved. He can improve his returns a little better. I feel he’s made gains on his returns. And he can hit a little deeper on certain points and moments. His serve is a thing of beauty, the best of all time in my opinion, first and second serve. He’s become a top five volleyer in the men’s game, that’s something pretty cool for a guy so tall. Just trying to get more depth out of his returns. His strokes are there. Trying to manage movement differently against the opponent because against younger, shorter opponents he can’t afford to play conservatively against someone who moves better. He needs to be decisive with his return game, he can’t just play the ball up the middle.
Question: What is your first memory of John?
David Macpherson: I heard of him the first time when he made finals in Washington DC coming out of college at Georgia. Maybe the first time was spending time together in Davis Cup. I was there as a doubles coach with Davis Cup for Mike and Bob Bryan. I got to know John then, what a great guy he is. He was also coached by another great friend of mine (we had talked earlier about his longtime friendship with Jimmy Arias) Justin Gimelstob. We gradually built up a rapport over the years.
Question: What would you say are Isner’s greatest performance(s), your favorite matches he played?
David Macpherson: Beating Delpo (61 76) in semis of Miami (2018) would be one that comes to mind. Murray at Wimbledon (64 76 67 64 – first win vs Murray in nine tries) this year was excellent. Zverev victories in Miami (2018 final) and Laver Cup were awesome (2-7 career vs Zverev). There are so many! Novak in Indian Wells (QF 2013) when he was younger (76 36 75). Rafa in Laver Cup (75 76 in 2017). Federer in Davis Cup (46 63 76 62 in 2013).
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