John Isner becomes highest ranked American – Tennis News
John Isner has replaced Mardy Fish as the top American tennis player, as rankings got updated on Monday.
Isner has reached his career best ranking of number nine in the world and switched position with Fish in the latest release of South African Airways ATP Rankings.
Although, the American was unable to capture the title in Houston, losing to Juan Monaco in the US Men’s Clay Court Championship final. He gained enough points to overtake his compatriot in the rankings, making a total of 2, 770
and taking a lead of 45 against Fish, who will now have to stay content with the 10 spot with 2, 725 points.
Isner is currently in the best form of his career, as he has given top level performances in the last nine months. It all started at the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships last July, when he defeated Olivier Rochus in
the final to grab just his second career title.
Since then, the American has done well in almost every tournament he has participated. Isner ended 2011 at the 18th spot and started this season in the same form as he was last year. The 26-year-old defeated world’s
best player, Novak Djokovic, to reach the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals last month, breaking into the top 10 for the first time in his career.
In an interview, a jubilant Isner said about becoming the top American “Even coming out of college it’s something I never could have imagined. But as I started to improve and play better a little bit, I knew that this could be
something that was attainable for me. I’m very thrilled. And now I have my highest ranking ever as well, No. 9. That was my next goal, after I got to 10. Now my newest goal is to get to eight, then seven, and then six.”
There is no change in the position of remaining eight players in the top 10. Djokovic is still far ahead of his closest rivals with a total of 12, 670 ranking points. Rafael Nadal remains at the second spot with 9,215. Though,
Roger Federer has closed the gap with Nadal to just 335 points, as he has 8,880 to hold the third ranking. Murray is not far behind, as he retains his fourth position with 7, 680.
However, other players in the best 10 trail heavily to the ‘Big 4’, as fifth ranked, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, has just 4, 795 points against his name. David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych and Janko Tipsarevic have kept their sixth, seventh and
eighth spot respectively.
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