Isner Gets Full-Page Spread in Tennis Magazine

Long Shot

"Can a laid-back, 6-foot-9, four-year college student named John Isner really be the next, um, big thing in American tennis?"  begins the article on our main man John.  Some quotes from the article (available on tennis.com soon - simply click on "Current Issue" in the bottom left and get yourself a digital copy):

On Isner's appearance at the US Open: " If he'd been Andy Roddick, he could have thrown a hood over his head and no one would have known who he was.  But John's so visible.  He can't hide himself" -Bo Hodge, Isner's former teammate at the University of Georgia

Isner on his television presence: "I've been hearing my name mentioned on TV a lot.  John McEnroe mentioned my name a couple times.  That was pretty neat."

What impressed opponents is not just the speed of Isner's serve, but its accuracy (against Federer, Isner made 72 percent of his first serves, many of which topped 120mph).  Federer on playing Isner: "I enjoyed it, actually," Federer said after surviving 18 aces and a first-set tiebreaker loss to beat Isner in four sets. "Because of the challenge of the serve."

Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe, has become an Isner believer: "I love his intensity and his desire to be on the big stage.  I think he's got a tremendous upside."