NEW YORK—The couple seated in the front row of section 20A veered to the left like airplane passengers tossed by turbulence, and reflexively recoiled as the 132 MPH missile launched from John Isner’s racquet screamed toward their faces. They exhaled audibly as the ball banged off the blue wall in front of them.
The best seat in the house is often the hot seat when Isner is serving. When you see fans sitting 20 feet behind the baseline looking physically frazzled facing Isner’s serve, imagine how Robby Ginepri felt trying to return it.
In Louis Armstrong Stadium, Isner strong-armed Ginepri out of the tournament in slamming 20 aces, surrendering only nine points on his first serve and erasing both break points he faced. It all amounted to a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 second-round triumph.
It was the seventh straight win for Isner, who warmed up for the Open by capturing his third career title last weekend in Winston-Salem, and is playing like a man fully committed to sticking around for the second week in New York.
"This is the best match I’ve played in some time," Isner said in his on-court interview. "A lot of times all I need is one break and that’s what happened today."
Ginepri, who became the first man in Open Era history to play four five-setters at the Open en route to the 2005 semifinals, tried to engage Isner in extended rallies and earned a break point in the opening game. Isner issued a resounding response in pounding down a 133 MPH ace out wide, followed by a 125 MPH service winner, and eventually held. Ginepri earned a second break point in the ninth game, drilling a forehand return at Isner’s feet.
Swinging with the viciousness of a man eager to embed a bruise mark on the ball, the 6’9” Isner unloaded a 135 MPH ace—his ninth of the first set—followed by a biting body serve, and held for 5-4. Ginepri blinked in the ensuing game, dragging a forehand down the line wide and steering a cross-court backhand wide, as Isner collected the opening set in 41 minutes.
Facing Isner when his first serve is landing is like playing beneath a microscope—every mistake you make is magnified by the foreboding sense that if you drop serve once, you’re done.
Surrendering just two points through his first four service games of the second set, Isner built a 4-3 lead and grunted loudly in cracking a forehand to break for 5-3.
Arising from his chair at the end of changeovers, Isner often returns to the court carrying his towel between his teeth like a bulldog biting a chew toy, and once the former Georgia Bulldog built a two-set lead, there was little doubt in the outcome. Ginepri, whose ranking has dropped to No. 363 following elbow surgery last September, won just two points on Isner’s serve in the last set.
Playing just the 15th major of his career, the 26-year-old Isner could face another American, Alex Bogomolov, Jr. for a spot in the fourth round. If his serving continues to click, he fires his forehand with authority and attacks net a bit more, he could make many more front-row fans cringe in the coming days.
—Richard Pagliaro