US Open: Isner ends career in style, going down to Mmoh in fifth set tiebreak

The career of John Isner is over, with the eight-time US year-end No 1 going down 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (7) to Michael Mmoh in front of a packed out Grandstand crowd at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on Thursday afternoon.

Isner raced out to a two set lead against his compatriot, breaking his compatriot once in each of the first two sets.

However, Mmoh began hitting less errors, and with his backhand firing, won the next two sets to force a decider. After holding one match point at 5-4, Isner could not convert, and the clash headed to a fifth set tiebreak.

Isner’s career ends in fifth set tiebreak

This was by far the most fitting way for John Isner’s career to finish. Known as being one of the most hard working players on Tour, Isner’s indomitable serve took him to many tiebreaks, with plenty of famous fifth set tiebreaks across the American’s career.

As cries of “Let’s go, fight John, fight!” and “Lock it down son, come on!” echoed throughout the stadium between points, Isner had the early ascendancy in the deciding tiebreak. At every possible occasion, the world No 157 would approach the net, regularly exchanging several volleys with Mmoh.

It felt like a generational moment, with fellow American’s Ben Shelton and Chris Eubanks watching on as 25-year-old Mmoh took on 38-year-old Isner.

At 7-7, the tiebreak swung, with Mmoh brilliantly chasing down an Isner volley to pull ahead, roaring to the crowd as he emerged from Isner’s shadow to assert himself on the occasion. The younger American would go on to win the next two points, ending the career of Isner to the disappointment of the crowd.

Isner emotional following US Open exit

Following the loss, John Isner was clearly emotional, holding his face in a towel for long periods at a time.

When he was inevitably called upon to share a few words with the crowd, after Mmoh had respectfully described the moment as, “a special moment for me, but an even more special moment for John,” Isner had this to say:

“Yeah it’s tough. You know I like to think I work as hard as I can…

“You know this is why I’ve worked as hard as I have my whole life, to play in atmospheres like this. Of course, I might not win them all.

“To play in front of this crowd, and have the support I’ve had is pretty special, so thank you.”

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Mmoh, ranked No 89, will play Jack Draper next, in what will be his first US Open third round appearance. In the previous round of the tournament, Michael Mmoh beat Russian Kharen Khachanov, the No 11 seed (6-2, 6-4, 6-2). Isner, on the other hand, won against Argentinian Facundo Diaz Acosta (6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (1)) in the previous round.

New York (Grand Slam), other second-round results (USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, hard, USD 44.700.000, most recent results first):

• Daniil Medvedev vs. Christopher O’Connell
• Carlos Alcaraz vs. Lloyd Harris
• Gael Monfils vs. Andrey Rublev
• Felipe Meligeni Alves vs. Sebastian Baez
• Botic van de Zandschulp vs. Daniel Evans
• Nicolas Jarry vs. Alex Michelsen
• Yu Hsiou Hsu vs. Cameron Norrie
• Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs. Stan Wawrinka
• Yibing Wu vs. Alex De Minaur: thursday
• Arthur Fils vs. Matteo Arnaldi: thursday
• Matteo Berrettini vs. Arthur Rinderknech: thursday
• Grigor Dimitrov (19) beat Andy Murray: 6-3, 6-4, 6-1
• Jack Draper beat Hubert Hurkacz (17): 6-2, 6-4, 7-5
• Jannik Sinner (6) beat Lorenzo Sonego: 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
• Alexander Zverev (12) beat Daniel Altmaier: 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
• Taylor Fritz (9) beat Juan Pablo Varillas: 6-1, 6-2, 6-2
• Frances Tiafoe (10) beat Sebastian Ofner: 6-3, 6-1, 6-4
• Zhizhen Zhang beat Casper Ruud (5): 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 0-6, 6-2
• Jakub Mensik (Q) beat Titouan Droguet (Q): 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1), 6-3
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (21) beat Juan Manuel Cerundolo: 6-1, 6-4, 6-3
• Tommy Paul (14) beat Roman Safiullin: 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3
• Rinky Hijikata (WC) beat Marton Fucsovics: 6-1, 6-2, 6-1
• Ben Shelton beat Dominic Thiem: 7-6 (1), 1-0 ret.
• Adrian Mannarino (22) beat Fabian Marozsan: 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1
• Jiri Vesely beat Francisco Cerundolo (20): 7-6 (5), 6-2, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (6)
• Novak Djokovic (2) beat Bernabe Zapata Miralles: 6-4, 6-1, 6-1
• Benjamin Bonzi (WC) beat Christopher Eubanks (28): 7-6 (6), 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7)
• Aslan Karatsev beat Roberto Carballes Baena: 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4)
• Laslo Djere (32) beat Hugo Gaston (Q): 6-1, 6-2, 6-3
• Borna Gojo (Q) beat Mackenzie McDonald: 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
• Dominic Stricker (Q) beat Stefanos Tsitsipas (7): 7-5, 6-7 (2), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-3