John Isner had a remarkable career on the ATP Tour, competing during the reign of greats Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
Isner secured 16 ATP titles and achieved a top ranking of eighth worldwide.
Jannik Sinner believes Isner possesses the finest serve in tennis history, a talent that greatly contributed to his achievements. Isner leads the ATP Tour in aces, recording an astounding 14,470 over 772 matches.
However, his progress was somewhat hindered by the exceptional performances of the Big Three—Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic.
John Isner’s Nervous Encounters with the Big Three
In a conversation on the Nothing Major Show, Isner reflected on which of the three players made him feel most anxious during their first meetings. He stated that it was likely Federer, as he faced him shortly after graduating from college during the US Open. Despite the occasion being significant, Isner mentioned not feeling extremely nervous, but rather overwhelmed by the crowd and the atmosphere.
Record Against the Big Three
Isner concluded his career with a record of one win and eight losses against Nadal, while facing Federer and Djokovic he had two wins and eight losses, and two wins and ten losses respectively. Upon reviewing his history, Isner was surprised to realize he played Nadal earlier than he initially thought.
Jack Sock’s Perspective on Playing the Icons
Fellow American Jack Sock also shared his experiences with the three legends. He echoed Isner’s sentiment, expressing that he felt most overwhelmed by Federer. Sock, who played Djokovic once and lost, described feeling most apprehensive about potentially being outclassed by the Serbian.
