Don’t look now, but something extraordinary is in the works in Paris: Unseeded American John Isner, who drew Rafael Nadal in the first round of the 2011 French Open, is making a match out of what was supposed to be a cakewalk for the five-time Roland Garros champ. After dropping the first set 4-6, the 39th-ranked American has taken two in a row from the modern undisputed heavyweight of clay court play. Both sets ended in tiebreakers, and neither was close: 7-6(2), 7-6(2). The third set was visibly Isner’s for the entirety of the tiebreaker despite having to battle back from being down a double set point to get there.
French Open 2011: John Isner Leads Rafael Nadal In Potential Massive Upset
This is, of course, Rafa we’re talking about. He hasn’t been unbeatable on clay this year, but the guy beating him has been Novak Djokovic, not some American upstart.
But man alive, wouldn’t it be great to have a story to tell about Isner that doesn’t involve him destroying both legs to make Wimbledon history? No kidding: We could very well be on the cusp of the biggest upset in Slam history here. Stay tuned.
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