Isner's Road To Greatness Is Gaining Steam
By Joe McDonald Photo Credit: Natasha Peterson/Corleve
(September 9, 2011) John Isner can take solace tonight in a good song.
Maybe he will pop in the Rolling Stones and take a listen to the Let It Bleed album, because on it is the song that defines his US Open.
You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometime you may find, you get what you need.
Isner wanted a title, but needed just to travel far in this Open to take his game to the next level. Se even though Andy Murray took him out, 7-5 6-4 3-6 7-6(2), the lanky North Carolinian can look back fondly at the last two weeks with a job well done.
"Yeah, it's been a good run for me, but, you know, I'm still disappointed right now," Isner said. "I'm not satisfied. You know, I would have liked my chances in a fifth set today had it gone that way, but it wasn't to be. He was the better player today. He deserved it. But for sure, you know, this is a good thing to build on, and I've had a really good summer.
"I'll take some time off and then I'll, you know, try to finish the year strong. You know, a lot of people think the tennis season is over after the Open, but there are a lot of big tournaments to be played."
A strong finish to the year may put Isner in the Top 10, which would be impressive after a horrible first five months of the year. Getting to the Quarterfinals helps with points or "whatnot, with each match won it's a big, big jump."
And that will help him with better seeding going into next season in Australia. You can tell the Georgia Bulldog product has built up his confidence over the past few months. His wins in Newport and Winston-Salem have giving him the ability to believe himself, something that may have been lacking in the past.
In the next few months, Isner may feel his run at the US Open is all right now. In fact, he may think of his time here as a gas. But today, you can tell the 26 year-old is disappointed. A tremendous competitor, you could see how much he wanted it, especially coming back from being down 2-0 in the game.
Yet, after all is said and done, it was the mental errors that hurt Isner. The double fault in the tiebreaker in the fourth or being unable to convert two breakpoints in the game. He had 54 unforced errors to Murray's 20 and five double faults to the Scotsman's two. That's what separates the very good players from the champions. And it is something Isner has to learn if he wants to win a tournament like this.
But he always had the ability with a tremendous serve, something that can't be taught. With a first serve over 135 m.p.h and a second serve of 120+ m.p.h., it can be something daunting for any player, even one as accomplished as Andy Murray.
"In the third and fourth set he started to play better and he started to take like more risk," Murray said. "A lot of times that can sort of be what you want them to do, because, you know, him or [Ivo] Karlovic ‑‑ John's a better player from the back of the court than Karlovic ‑‑ but when they're going for big cuts, especially early on in the match, normally they'll make quite a lot of mistakes. If you're solid from the back, then that's a good thing.
"But, you know, when you're having to serve all the time, and, you know, when he goes through patches like in the third and fourth sets where he's hitting like 120‑ miles‑ an‑ hour second serves, then you're just trying to hang on to your own serve. You're trying to just chase every ball down.
"It may look like you're playing defensively or whatever, but it's not the case. You know, it's just what happens. You can't take chances against someone that's serving 140 miles an hour and their second serve is bouncing, you know, like up here on the second serve, and then he's mixing it up with 120‑ miles‑ an‑ hour second serves into your body.
"You've just got to try and find a way to win, and I did that."
So, the skills are there. Next year, time may be on Isner's side, when he goes from up and comer to featured player.
Yet, that means he can't mail in the first half of the year and go for a torrid finish. He needs to be consistent and raise his game so he can tackle the big four.
Otherwise, like the early Rolling Stones, he will be singing the blues.