John Isner

Full name John Robert Isner...Began playing tennis at age nine...Father, Robert, is a builder; mother Karen, is a real estate agent...Has two older brothers, Jordan, 26, who is a teaching tennis pro and Nathan, 28, who is a builder and works with his father (all three attended North Carolina State Univ.)...Played four years and earned All-American honors each season at Univ. of Georgia from 2004-07 and school's all-time leader in singles and doubles wins...In May 2007, reached NCAA singles final, losing to Virginia's Somdev Devvarman in a third set tie-break but led his squad to NCAA team title...Also won NCAA doubles title.

Hobbies include playing poker, golf, basketball and watching ESPN...Played basketball until ninth grade and was 6'3" (1.90m) before growing five inches at around age 16... His favorite TV show is "Curb Your Enthusiasm"...Says if he wasn't a tennis player he would probably be a basketball player...Idol was former NBA star Karl Malone...Wears a size 15 shoe...Considers hard courts as favorite surface and his forehand and serve as strengths...Coached by former ATP pro Craig Boynton (since March 2009), who used to work with Jim Courier and Mardy Fish.

2009 -- The No. 3 American (behind No. 6 Roddick, No. 25 Querrey) finished in Top 50 for first time, highlighted by career-high 27 match wins…Had a 9-6 start through May with QF showing in Auckland (l. to Soderling) and 4th RD at Indian Wells*, defeating No. 9 Monfils and No. 25 Safin (l. to del Potro)…Also a QF on clay in Houston (l. to Odesnik)…Claimed Challenger title in Tallahassee (d. Young)…One day before leaving for Roland Garros (received a wild card), was diagnosed with mononucleosis…Didn’t hit a ball for 40 days before playing in Challenger in late June…

Returned to ATP World Tour in Indianapolis and advanced to SF of season (l. to Ginepri)…Followed with QF in Los Angeles (l. to Ball) and SF in Washington (d. No. 7 Tsonga, l. to Roddick)…Made 4th RD run at US Open, firing 38 aces in fifth set tie-break win over No. 5 Andy Roddick in 3rd RD (l. to Verdasco)…Closed season with a 4-6 mark, reaching QF in Bangkok and 2nd RD in Basel (d. No. 11 Gonzalez; l. to Gasquet) and Masters 1000 Paris (l. to Gonzalez)…Went 3-3 vs. Top 10 opponents and compiled marks of 25-17 on hard and 2-1 on clay…Finished a career-best No. 5 in aces (653), service games won (89%) and 2nd serve points won (56%)…Had personal-best 27-12 record in tie-breaks…Earned a career-high $452,988.

2008 -- Reached QFs in San Jose (d. Haas; l. to Garcia-Lopez)...In Washington reached QFs (l. to del Potro)...Won title at Lubbock Challenger (d. Dancevic).

2007 -- The towering American made a breakthrough on ATP circuit in just six months of action to finish in Top 125...Compiled an 8-5 record in ATP level play and 12-5 in Challengers...Turned pro in June ranked No. 839 after an outstanding four-year career at University of Georgia...In first pro outing in Chico, Calif. at U.S. Futures #14, captured title (d. Miranda)...Made his ATP debut in Newport and lost to Norman in 1st RD...In July, earned first Challenger title in Lexington (Ky.) with three-sets win over B. Wilson and afterwards climbed from No. 745 to No. 416...Following week took a wild card into Washington and posted a record five straight wins in a third set tie-break before losing to No. 5 Roddick 6-4, 7-6(4) in final...His wins were over former Top 10 Henman, Becker, Odesnik, No. 12 Haas and Monfils and fired a non-Grand Slam tournament record 144 aces during week (since 1991)...Then jumped to No. 193 on Aug. 6...Took wild cards into AMS Cincinnati and New Haven, losing to No. 15 Ferrer in 1st and 2nd RD, respectively...Made his Grand Slam debut at US Open and picked up wins over No. 26 Nieminen and De Voest before falling to eventual champion Federer in four sets in 3rd RD...Won opening set in a tie-break and that was Federers only tie-break loss in Grand Slam play (15-1) during year...Following US Open, played Challengers rest of season, highlighted by SF in Calabasas (l. to Kendrick), Louisville (l. to Bachinger) and Urbana (l. to Levine) and QF in Rimouski (l. to Bozoljac)...Fired 255 aces in 13 matches (19.6 average) and played in 19 tie-breaks (12-7 mark)...In doubles, won titles in Calabasas (w/Wilson) and Louisville (w/Parrott) and reached final in Lexington (w/C. Purcell)...Earned a career-high $138,630.

2006 -- Advanced to singles and doubles final (w/Poole) at USTA #14 Futures in Chico, Calif. (l. to Echagaray)...Also runner-up at Lexington Challenger (w/C. Purcell)...

2005 -- Reached QF at USTA #18 Futures in Joplin, Mo. and 2nd RD at Lubbock Challenger (d. Russell, l. to R. Delgado)...In doubles, won title at USTA #18 Futures (w/Wurtzman)...

2010

In January, Isner represented the United States (w/Oudin) at ITF Hopman Cup in Perth, a non tour-level mixed team event… In his first ATP World Tour tournament, he captured his first ATP World Tour title at Auckland to become the first American winner at the tournament since Scott Davis in 1990… He saved one match point at 56, 30/40 in the third set of 63 57 76(2) win over Clement in 2 hrs, 18 mins… He hit 78 aces overall during the tournament… After the final Isner donated $5,000 of his winner's cheque to the Red Cross in its efforts to assist those affected by the recent earthquake in Haiti… Subsequently rose to a career-high No. 28 ranking...

At the Australian Open, his third straight appearance, was named No. 33 seed following the withdrawal of No. 15 seed Simon due to injury… Reached the 4th RD for second straight Slam, having beaten No. 12 seed Monfils 61 46 76(4) 76(5) in 3rd RD… Fell to No. 5 seed Murray 76(4) 63 62… Hit 95 aces overall for the tournament...

In February, as No. 6 seed in Memphis, reached final...By beating Karlovic 61 76(7) in QFs, he improved to 11-1 on year. By comparison, last year, he had not won his 11th match until the week of 20 July at Indianapolis...Beat Petzschner 75 46 63 in SFs...Also advanced to doubles final (w/Querrey)...Fell in Acapulco 1st RD (l. to Greul), before competing on clay for United States in Davis Cup 1st RD tie versus Serbia in Belgrade...Lost both singles rubbers to Troicki and Djokovic...  

On 14 March, as No. 15 seed in Indian Wells, beat qualifier Anderson 63 75...Afterwards, received his trophy as Most Improved Player of the Year, following a 2009 season that saw him climb from No. 145 to a year-end best No. 34 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings.