When talking about charismatic players who have graced the racket sport in the last 20 years, John Isner’s name surely comes to mind! Renowned as one of the greatest servers in history, the American powerhouse dominated on home soil, winning 14 of his 16 ATP singles titles in America. But his legacy goes beyond trophies. Isner carved his name in the record books as the ATP Tour’s all-time ace leader, unleashing a jaw-dropping 14,470 aces by August 31, 2023. As the Indian Wells men’s SF approached, the retired icon took a nostalgic trip down memory lane, recalling a defining moment from 13 years ago. “Not many people can say they’ve ever beaten the No. 1 player in the world,” he proudly stated back then. And what was that unforgettable feat?

The story takes us back to the 2012 edition of Indian Wells Open, where a then 12th seed John Isner delivered a breakthrough moment that shook the tennis world. Earlier that season, the American battled through a five-set thriller against David Nalbandian at the AO before falling to Feliciano López in the third round. However, he made headlines by defeating the third seed Roger Federer on his home turf during the Davis Cup, playing a crucial role in Team USA’s victory.

But the true magic unfolded in the California desert! Isner stormed his way to his “first-ever Masters 1000 final”, and his path to glory included a stunning upset: taking down the world’s top-ranked player. Now, years later, the American giant looks back at that unforgettable moment as the semis of the current edition of Indian Wells are approaching.

In a recent conversation at the Nothing Major Show, dated 15th March, John said, “The crowd was on my side I mean he was number one in the world. If I won the match I was going to break into the top 10. I don’t saying that they knew that but I knew that right and I had a lot of motivation to go out there and of course, try to play well and I played early I remember this cause it’s 2012 I played the hard semi-final and I was already in the finals of the Doubles with you Sam. We played our semi-finals the day before so I mean I was would not have had more confidence in the world I am already in the finals of a doubles and in the semi’s of singles,”

He continued, “It was a perfect weather perfect perfect condition and I won low and behold 7-6 in the third and I remember after the match like wow I know I am in the finals and I know I play the winner of Rafa and Fed. I remember then came crashing down as I lost in the single final and Sam you and I lost to Rafa in the Doubles finals remember who he played with? Mark Lopez, yes we lost to Rafa and Mark Lopez in the Doubles finals. So that was a cool moment for me and I was able to get into the top 10.” So, what’s the fascinating story behind this?

Isner etched his name in Indian Wells’ history with a stunning victory over then-top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic, securing his spot in the final of the ATP Masters 1000 event. Seeded 11th at the time, the towering American outlasted the Serbian icon in a nail-biting battle, winning 7-6(9), 3-6, 7-6(7) in front of an electrified California crowd. His triumph marked the first time a US male had defeated a top ATP seed since James Blake stunned Roger Federer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

However, the fairytale run came to a bittersweet end at the finals. In the last match, Federer avenged his Davis Cup loss to Isner, clinching the title with a 7-6(7), 6-3 victory. To compound the heartbreak at the tournament, Isner and partner Sam Querrey fell short in the doubles final against Spain’s Marc López and Rafael Nadal. A cold, breezy night in the desert brought a tough ending to what was otherwise a defining tournament in Isner’s career.

And recently as well, post-retirement, Isner shared his thoughts on former rival Novak Djokovic’s potential appearance at the upcoming Miami Open as well.

“Father Time might finally be catching up,” said John Isner on Novak’s recent form 

Novak Djokovic is struggling with form, having lost three consecutive matches on the ATP Tour since the AO. His latest setback came at Indian Wells, where he fell to lucky loser Botic Van de Zandschulp in a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 defeat: the second straight year the former No. 1 suffered such a loss. With the Miami Open around the corner, it remains uncertain if the 24-time GS champion will compete. Djokovic, a six-time winner of the event, last played in Miami in 2019. However, former 8th seed John Isner believes that skipping the tournament might work in his favor.

Speaking on the same podcast, John added, “Two straight years he has lost to a lucky loser at Indian Wells. We are just not used to seeing that. So he seems to be lacking a little bit of motivation. Father Time might finally be catching up to him. The last four or five years he hasn’t played that tournament but if he doesn’t play Miami it might be a good time for him to refocus, get back to Europe with his family and likely start in Monte Carlo, maybe play Madrid, he always plays Rome and gets ready for the French Open. I think he will be fine.”

Despite their past rivalry, Isner’s opinion about Djokovic comes from a place of genuine concern. Now that Djokovic has confirmed his Miami Open participation this year, can he secure his 100th title at the Sunshine Double?