In a social media announcement made on Wednesday evening, John Isner revealed that the upcoming US Open will mark his farewell tournament. The American tennis player’s 17th consecutive participation in his homeland’s major championship will also be his concluding appearance.
“On the journey of every athlete, a moment arrives when the choice to step down must be embraced. For me, that moment has arrived,” expressed Isner in an Instagram post. “This decision was not arrived at easily, yet I believe it’s the path I must take. Back in 2007, when I departed from the University of Georgia, envisioning a 17-year tenure on the ATP Tour was beyond imagination.”
“While there are certainly matches I yearn to have another shot at, I take pride in my accomplishments. This journey has been nothing short of extraordinary.”
Concluding his illustrious career at Flushing Meadows at the age of 38, Isner’s legacy is defined by 16 ATP Tour titles, a record of 488 victories at the tour level, and participation in the Nitto ATP Finals (in 2018).
Isner’s departure leaves behind a remarkable legacy as one of the sport’s preeminent servers. As indicated by Infosys ATP Stats, he holds an unparalleled record for the highest number of career aces, boasting a staggering count of 14,411. No other player has come close to the 14,000-ace milestone, with merely five managing to surpass the 10,000-ace threshold.
From 2010 to 2019, Isner maintained a spot within the Top 20 of the year-end Pepperstone ATP Rankings for an impressive 10 consecutive years. He also held the title of year-end No. 1 American player on eight occasions (2012-2016 and 2018-2020). His career peaked in July 2018, reaching a career-high World No. 8 ranking after making his inaugural major semi-final appearance at Wimbledon.
A significant accomplishment in Isner’s career was clinching the title of the oldest first-time ATP Masters 1000 singles champion at the age of 32, achieved when he triumphed in Miami in 2018. His successes also extend to capturing five Masters 1000 doubles titles. Notably, Isner secured victories against distinguished players such as Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Stan Wawrinka.
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