John Isner, the tennis veteran known for his powerful serve and the record-breaking longest match in professional tennis history, bid farewell to his singles career with a heartfelt and emotional exit at the US Open. Isner's retirement announcement had been made on Twitter just a week before the tournament.
After a hard-fought match against fellow American Michael Mmoh in the second round, which lasted nearly four hours and ended in a 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (7) loss, Isner addressed the capacity crowd at Grandstand. Overwhelmed with emotions, he gave a tearful speech and multiple hugs to those around him.
Despite the loss, Isner waved to the applauding crowd, acknowledging their support, and slowly walked off the court, showing that he wasn't quite ready for his storied career to come to an end.
John Isner had a successful collegiate career at the University of Georgia, winning the NCAA doubles title in 2005 and the team title in 2007. He turned professional in 2007 and quickly made a name for himself in the tennis world. He reached a career-high ranking of No. 8 in 2018 and won 16 singles titles during his career, including impressive runs at Wimbledon. Isner is best known for his incredible serve, holding the record for the most aces in tour history with 14,470, and also for delivering the ATP's fastest official serve at 157.2 miles per hour.
However, his most legendary achievement is the longest professional tennis match ever played. In the first round at Wimbledon in 2010, Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut in a match that spanned five sets, 183 games, and over 11 hours of on-court play, spread across three days. The match is commemorated by a plaque outside the court at the All England Club, symbolizing one of the greatest moments in tennis history.
With his retirement, John Isner leaves a lasting legacy in American men's tennis and the sport as a whole.