John Isner is gearing up to play the last tournament of his career. The 6ft 10in tall player has decided to go out with a bang at the US Open after a long career. The entire country is waiting to watch him play his last match of his career in Flushing Meadows, NY. Along with the fans, his family will also be in the stands cheering him on towards victory.

The former number 8 will find many supporters in his family, including his children, wife and parents.

Meet the Isner Children

John Isner has become a father a grand total of four times. He married his wife, Madison McKinley, in 2017, and the two did not take long to start a family. They had their first baby, Hunter Grace, in 2019. Following Grace’s arrival, the two had their first boy, John Hobbs.

Later in 2021, the two welcomed boy number 2 James ‘Mack’ McKinley Isner. This year, 18 months after James, Isner and McKinley welcomed Chapel Lee Isner with an Instagram post featuring all members of the family.

Isner on balancing career and fatherhood

Being a parent of four children is no small or easy task. Having to travel the world often for tournaments makes it even more difficult. After Hunter Grace was born, Isner found it rather difficult to manage his career with his personal life. In an interview with the ATP Tour, he talked about the difficulties he faced.

“It was pretty hard [getting back into tennis mode], actually. I didn’t go to Asia. That of course was an easy decision because I’d been going there for a very long time. I wasn’t about to leave my wife at home and I missed Davis Cup as well,” Isner said.

He further added, “But once she was born, I still had a few weeks at home to get back into the swing of things. Duty unfortunately did have to call. It was pretty tough the first week on the road away from my family. That was the most difficult.”

Although it was difficult being away for tournaments, his family is the way he manages to get over upsets. In the 2019 Australian Open, he was ousted in the first round. It was a disappointing defeat for any player, but the blow was softened when he saw the smiling face of his daughter to welcome him back home. 

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Despite it being difficult to manage both, Isner found a way to make sure both aspects of his life run smoothly. With the aid of his wife, he could rest assured that his children were in good hands. 

On-court inspiration

In another interview, David Macpherson, Isner’s coach, revealed the impact of becoming a father on his tennis. From his observations, Isner feels immense joy at becoming a father and loves spending time with his children. Therefore, nearing the end of his career, he will be able to handle the absence of professional tennis easily.

He also said, “Tennis is a pressure-cooker and he’s accomplished a lot of great things and he wants to keep striving to do better, but when you have a baby, it gives you great perspective as well. That’s going to be a big help for his tennis.”

Isner’s motivation has only become stronger since he became a dad. His children have become a source of inspiration, motivating him further to excel in tennis and set a shining example for the world.

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While tackling both a tennis career and the responsibilities of fatherhood is not an easy task, it is certainly one that makes him happy. He has maintained his health to be able to compete at the top, but he has also managed to be a great parent to his children. Now as his tennis career is coming to an end, he will have all the time in the world to excel in his personal life.