NEW YORK - John Isner's remarkable summer continued today when the tennis tour rookie eliminated 26th seed Jarkko Nieminen in the first round of the US Open.
The 22-year-old Isner blasted 34 aces to oust the 2005 Open quarterfinalist 6-7 7-6 7-6 6-4 in a three-hour eight-minute slugfeston Louis Armstrong Stadium.
"I've waited and hoped a long time that I could walk out there in the US Open and compete in a first-round match. On any court really, let alone Louis Armstrong court, which is awesome," Isner said.
"It was pretty cool to be there, but I knew I had some business to take care of. So I soaked it in a little bit at first and went out there ready to play."
The 2.05m Isner led the University of Georgia to the US national title this year but was not expecting to make an immediate breakthrough on the professional circuit.
He received a wildcard into the Washington tour stop last month and made the most of his luck, losing to top seed Andy Roddick in the final of the US$600,000 ($846,020) event.
With a ranking that has jumped from 416 to 184, Isner still needed a wildcard to get to Flushing Meadows.
He kept Nieminen off balance with his booming serve and the North Carolina native came up big when it counted most. The Finn failed in all seven of his break point attempts.
"I don't hold anything back," Isner said of his serve.
"I go for broke on my first and second serve. I'm hitting my second serve 120 (mph), in that range.
"I have nothing to lose out there. I just go for it, try to get the point over quick. That's what I do.
Nieminen said: "This is the best serve I have seen. I think I had breakpoints in every set ... obviously, he's improving all the time.
"It's going to be even tougher to play against him when he gets more solid from the baseline."
Next up for Isner is South African Rik De Voest.
"I have never heard of him," Isner said.
"It's not that he's not a good player, I just don't know anybody."
