US Open: John Isner announces retirement after final hooray at this year’s tournament: ‘Time to lace ’em up one last time’

American tennis star John Isner announced his retirement on Wednesday after playing at the US Open.

His retirement marks the end of a career that included a Grand Slam semifinal appearance and victory in the longest match in the sport’s history.

“This transition will not be easy, but I look forward to every second of it with my great family,” wrote the 1.90 meter tall Isner with a large serve in a comment post on social media This included a photograph showing himself, his wife and their four children.

“Time to lace them up one last time,” said 38-year-old Isner, referring to the last major tournament of the year, which begins Monday in New York.

In 2018, shortly after reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon, Isner achieved a career-best eighth place finish. He has won 16 singles titles and struck more than 14,000 aces, an ATP Tour record.

American tennis star John Isner has announced his retirement after the US Open

His best career placing was No. 8 in the world and he won 16 singles titles over the course of his career

That includes 113 – the mark for a single game – in his win over Nicolas Mahut, lasting 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days in the first round at the All England Club in 2010, finishing 70-68 in the fifth set .

There is now a plaque on the wall outside Court 18, where it was held, commemorating that competition.

“Especially when the game was over, you know, 25:00, I wasn’t really thinking,” Isner said in 2010.

“Hiting a serve and trying to hit a forehand winner was the only thing I did.”

That match, and Isner’s fifth-set loss to Kevin Anderson 26-24 in the Wimbledon semi-finals eight years later, was a major trigger in the sport’s eventual shift to standardized tiebreakers in the deciding sets at all Grand Slam tournaments.

Born in North Carolina, Isner played tennis at the University of Georgia and helped the school win the 2007 NCAA team tennis championship before turning pro that year.

Isner has earned more than $22 million in prize money and was the top-ranked American for years.

He’s only finished 8-13 in 2023 and his ATP rankings have dropped to 158 this week.

Isner also hit more than 14,000 aces, an ATP Tour record, and won the longest match ever

Isner was eliminated in the first round of each of the first three Grand Slam tournaments this season. The last time he reached the third round at a Major was at Wimbledon last year when he defeated Andy Murray on Center Court.

“It’s no secret that I’m definitely not a better tennis player than Andy Murray.” Maybe I was a little bit better than him today. “It was an incredible honor to play it on this court in front of this crowd,” Isner said that day.

“At the age I am now, I have to enjoy these moments.” It was one of the biggest wins of my career.”