Challenges Faced by John Isner: Obstacles and Turning Points

Resilience and perseverance in the journey of John Isner. A timeline of obstacles and growth.

John Isner, a retired American professional tennis player, peaked at No. 8 in singles and No. 14 in doubles. Renowned for his exceptional serve, he won the 2018 Miami Open and reached the 2018 Wimbledon semifinals. Isner also achieved two US Open quarterfinal appearances. He's known for playing the longest tennis match in history at the 2010 Wimbledon Championships against Nicolas Mahut, lasting 11 hours and 5 minutes. Isner holds the record for most aces in ATP history with 14,470 and recorded the third-fastest serve at 157.2 mph. He retired after the 2023 US Open.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

2008: Australian Open First Round Losses

At the 2008 Australian Open, John Isner was defeated in the first round of both the singles and doubles tournaments.

2008: Disappointing Season

John Isner worked with Craig Boynton to get back on track following his disappointing 2008 season.

2009: Singles Title Drought Begins

In 2009, Isner began a period where he would not win a singles title, a drought that ended in 2016.

2010: Cincinnati Masters Injury

In 2010, at the Cincinnati Masters, John Isner was forced to retire due to an ankle injury.

2012: Open de Nice Côte d'Azur Quarterfinal Loss

In 2012, Isner was the top seed at the Open de Nice Côte d'Azur but was upset in the quarterfinals by Nikolay Davydenko.

2012: Wimbledon Championships First Round Loss and Hall of Fame Title

In 2012, Isner was upset in the first round of the Wimbledon Championships. Later in July, he won the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships for the second consecutive year.

2012: French Open Second Round Loss

In 2012, at the French Open, Isner lost in the second round to Paul-Henri Mathieu in a 5-hour and 41-minute match.

2013: Sydney and Australian Open

In 2013, Isner lost in the second round in Sydney and did not appear at the Australian Open due to a bone bruise in his right knee.

2013: Topshelf Open First Round Exit

In 2013, Isner was defeated in the first round of the Topshelf Open by Evgeny Donskoy.

2013: French Open Matches

In 2013, at the French Open, Isner had a tough first round against Ryan Harrison, recovering from two sets down to win in five sets. He then faced Tommy Haas, saving 12 match points but ultimately losing.

2014: Heineken Open Victory and Australian Open

In 2014, Isner won the Heineken Open, defeating Lu Yen-hsun in the final. He then retired at the Australian Open due to an ankle injury.

January 2018: Losing Matches in January 2018

In January 2018, John Isner had a rough start, failing to win a match. He lost in the round of 16 at the Auckland Open and in the first round of the Australian Open to Matthew Ebden.

July 13, 2018: Isner v Anderson, July 13, 2018

The match of Isner v Anderson was played on July 13, 2018.

2018: Wimbledon Semifinal

At Wimbledon 2018, Isner advanced to his first Grand Slam semifinal, losing to Kevin Anderson in a six-hour and 36-minute match.

2018: Second-Longest Match in Major Tournament History

In 2018, John Isner lost to Kevin Anderson in the second-longest match in major tournament history at Wimbledon.

2018: Playing in the longest major matches in history

John Isner played in the two longest major matches in history during the 2010 and 2018 Wimbledon Championships.

2020: ASB Classic Semifinals and Australian Open Injury

In 2020, John Isner reached the ASB Classic semifinals before losing to Ugo Humbert. At the Australian Open, he reached the third round but retired with a foot injury.

2021: Ranking Drop Outside Top 30 in 2021

In April 2021, Isner fell from the top 30 for the first time in 10 years after not defending his points from the Miami Open. Despite reaching the quarterfinals at the Madrid Open in 2021, he remained outside the top 30.

2022: US Open Wrist Injury

At the 2022 US Open, John Isner withdrew from his second round match due to a wrist injury sustained during his first round match against Federico Delbonis.