John Isner Era Ends; USTA Men’s Wild Cards Enjoy Success

by Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

ISNER ERA ENDS

It is ironic that John Isner, the man who played more tiebreakers than anyone in tennis history and who is famous for playing two matches that SHOULD have had final-set tiebreakers, lost his final match in a fifth-set tiebreaker to Michael Mmoh 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (10-7). To boot after the four-hour match, Isner had to play his first round doubles match with Jack Sock following his singles loss and was also defeated in a final-set tiebreaker by Robert Galloway and Albano Olivetti 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (10-3). Isner, of course, won the longest match of all time at Wimbledon in 2010, defeating Nicolas Mahut  6-4, 3-6, 6-7(9-7), 7-6(7-3), 70-68 in 11 hours and five minutes. Then, in the Wimbledon semifinals in 2018, he lost to Kevin Anderson 7-6 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-7 (9), 6-4, 26-24 in a 6-hour, 36-minute marathon. Both matches were major influences in all four major championships instituting final-set tiebreakers after the U.S. Open was the lone major to have the scoring format since 1970.

What’s next for John Isner in retirement? He is a father of four so he will have plenty to do and he obviously is a big family man. He is involved with the Dallas Open ATP event so he may eventually be elevated to tournament director there or elsewhere, following the trend of former players running pro events like James Blake and Tommy Haas. He certainly would be a candidate for a future U.S. Davis Cup Captain. Former Georgia All-American tennis player Bobby Mariencheck that Isner should serve a ceremonial “First Serve” to officially open the new state-of-the-art indoor tennis building at the University of Georgia early next year.

USTA MEN’S WILD CARDS PERFORMED WELL

The United States Tennis Association has had a bit of magic touch with their selections of wild cards into the tournament. Both John Isner and Michael Mmoh, who played against each other in the second round, were both wild card entries with Mmoh now advancing into the third round. Alex Michelsen, another wild card, reached the second round. Learner Tien, the USTA Boy’s 18 champ, and Ethan Quinn, the NCAA singles champ, (both automatic wild cards for Americans) lost in the first round. The other “earned” wild card in men’s singles, Steve Johnson who won the USTA Pro Circuit/Summer hard court wild card, also lost in the first round. Tennis Australia’s reciprocal wild card Rinky Hijkata and the French Tennis Federation’s wild card Ben Bonzi, are both into the third round.

On the women’s side, at least as far as the main draw goes, there wasn’t as much of a magic touch. Caroline Wozniacki was the only wild card to win a match and is into the third round. The other seven wild cards – Venus Williams, Robin Montgomery, Kayla Day, Ashlyn Krueger, Clervie Ngounoue and recip wild cards Storm Hunter and Fiona Ferro lost in the first round. However, Fiona Crawley, a wild card selection into the qualifying rounds of the tournament, won three matches to reach the main draw before losing in the first round.

A-BOMBS AND MARIJUANA

One of the most famous quotes in the history of the U.S. Open was from 1985 when Wimbledon runner-up Kevin Curren said how much he hated the USTA National Tennis Center that he wished they would drop an “A-Bomb” on it. Perhaps the next most memorable quote about the facility now is perhaps from Alexander Zverev, who when discussing the smell of marijuana from Court 17, said the court is like “Snoop Dogg’s Living Room” citing the rapper who is not shy about his penchant for smoking pot.