John Isner in third round of Atlanta Tennis Championships 2010
John Isner, the 19th ranked American tennis ace, who is dubbed by many as the ‘marathon man’ is back in business when he defeated Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in the second round of the Atlanta Tennis Championships 2010 on Thursday. His title of the ‘marathon man’ came into being after he set a new world record for the longest match in tennis history. It was the month of June when John Isner collided with French tennis player Nicolas Mahut at the Wimbledon Championships 2010. After winning the first set 6-4, the American embarked upon a journey that would have no end in sight.
This match lasted for the next 11 hours and which consumed up to three days. As a result, it was recorded as the longest match ever to be played in tennis history. It took Isner 183 games before he finally finished his opponent with a score line of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-6(3) and 70-68. After the match, a tired Isner explained in an interview that at one point in time, he had thought that this match would never end. Such was the media hype generated after the match that Isner shot to international acclaim and fame. Isner has made a roaring comeback at this year’s Atlanta Championships when he scored a victory against wild card entry Gilles Muller who had made his way to the second round after beating Michal Przysiezny 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(4).
In a stadium packed with almost 5000 spectators, Isner faced a tough task at the hands of Muller. In a trade of fire in the first set, Isner scored a whopping 6 aces. Despite winning 20 serve points out of 30, Isner found it as a difficult preposition to take the first set. Muller was prepared not to be left behind so easily.
Muller’s unmatched 9 aces and extraordinary 20 serve points out of 22 took him through the first set. Although the crowd’s heart was with Isner who was the home player, yet they couldn’t stop themselves from praising the magnificent play presented by Muller.
The second set started with Isner serving with more control and accuracy. It seemed that the American was gaining some momentum now and was now making a stronger grip on the racket. Isner started to take control of the match with a lot of focus and concentration. However, both players reached a deadlock in the second set at 6-6. The tie breaker was played where Isner eventually won at 7-6(6).
Suspense was in the air as the match entered the final set. This set would decide the fate of Isner. His hometown proved to be lucky for him when he scored a win in the final set to clinch a decisive victory to enter the quarterfinals of the tournament. By scoring 11 aces and 31 serve points, Isner made sure that he prepared himself well before the Olympus U.S. Open. The third set entered a tie again and it seemed that the game might be lost for Isner. But Isner didn’t lose his wits even in a competitive tie breaker. He restricted his opponent to 7 to end the set and clinch victory.
Isner was joyous to see the back of Muller. The 19th ranked player is aiming to reach the top 10 slots in ATP rankings. His next showdown will be against Michael Russell, who after staging an upset against the 8th seeded Benjamin Becker, defeated Rainer Schuettler in the second round to secure a berth in the quarterfinals. Russell is playing very confidently and aggressively. If Isner looks to beat his fellow countryman, he must bring his game back to the level it belongs.
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