First Set Goes to Isner!

In an exciting, unbeatably intense first set, Isner pounds down 130+ mph serve after serve (his serve percentage was twice as effective on the deuce side, interestingly enough), sending the Federer Express reeling into a tiebreaker, where Isner, after going up a minibreak, proceeded to close out the set - sending the crowd into an absolute frenzy, and making the world number one lose his first set of the tournament.

Isner to Face off with the "Federer Express"

John, following an upset over 26 seeded Jarkko Nieminen in the first round, and a whooping on second round opponent Rik de Voest, John gets two days off before facing off with "Fedex."

Don't miss the match - this Saturday, 9/1!  More details to follow...

I'm playing who in the second round?

Isner rolls over South African Rik De Voest, unseeded and ranked 146, in one of his first ATP-level straight set squash outs.  John gave Rik a ticket back home with a 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) wave of his racket.  In a post-game press conference John noted that he'd never heard of De Voest.  Okay, having only been on the tour for a few months that's not a huge surprise.  One thing we can be sure of though - he knows the guy (or should we say immortal tennis titan ) he'll be facing in round three. 

Isner Rolls on!

In an unprecedented showing of smack-down serving, Isner lays down 34 aces as he pummels Jarkko Nieminen of Finland into the ground in the first round of the US Open  with a 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-4 over the native Fin.

Beating 26 seeded Nieminen is a huge step for Isner, who's ranking moves ever closer to the top 100 as he wins his first US Open match ever.  To think that just a few months ago his pro career had barely begun and he was ranked 800+!

Isner's US Open Debut

In his US Open debut, John Isner will be facing Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, seeded 26.  Jarkko is ranked 26 and has a career high ranking of 13.  This will be a good test for Isner, who will have a potentially easier second round matchup vs Italy's Rik De Voest, ranked 146 (career high ranking of 110), should he find a way past Nieminen.

Go John!!

John Isner vs. Andy Roddick final in Washington!

In an unprecedented run, John Isner reaches the final of his first ATP event, the Legg Mason Classic, by winning five consecutive third-set tiebreakers (sounds like an all-time record - can anyone confirm this?).  He was given a lucky wildcard as a result of Fernando Gonzalez's last minute withdrawal.  On the way to the final, he took down #73 Tim Henman, #47 Benjamin Becker, #189 qualifier Wayne Odesnik, #12 Tommy Haas, and #54 Gael Monfils.