Big-serving American John Isner gave a forthright admission regarding his future on the eve of the 2023 Atlanta Open, where he will play in its 13th edition.
Isner, a six-time champion from 12 finals, is the most decorated player in the event's history and has been a key fixture down the years, playing in all 12 editions before. With a 37-6 record in Atlanta, the towering American will fancy his chances of one last glorious swansong at his favorite playpen.
Now 38, Isner admits his playing days are numbered and is unsure if he will play any part in the upcoming 2024 season. His focus at the moment is family, as evident by his limited schedule this year. Isner has played 10 tournaments this season, with six being on American soil.
Isner even skipped the entire European clay-court tournaments before Roland Garros. And that was a similar case before Wimbledon, where he did not play in any warm-up tournaments. Sadly though, that harmed his preparations, with Isner going into the two Slams woefully short on fitness levels, losing in the first round each time.
"I maybe turned a corner last week [in Newport], but my body physically this year hasn't allowed me to train the way I want to train, and because of that my results have been subpar to the standards that I've held myself to for the longest time now."
"I'm in a situation that not many players are in, where tennis is not my priority right now. Of course, I want to do well, but family always comes first. They went to Australia and they went to London and I think they’ll come to Cincinnati. They'll certainly come to New York if I decide that it could be my last tournament.
Isner's appalling form this year has seen his ranking reach significant lows. He exited the world's Top 100 for the first time since 2009. Although his semifinal run in Newport bumped his ranking near the precipice of re-entering the centurion club, Isner's priority has shifted to match wins, adding that he'd like to attain 500 wins - a goal he had in mind since the start of the year.
"I'm a bit short of 500 wins, but it is something I would like to accomplish. I know very well that it might not happen this year. So we'll see. A lot of it depends on my body and whether it would be up to playing another year."
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