tt stern-enzi (a recap of live coverage)

John Isner is starting to believe. There’s no reason to continue all of these discussions about Isner’s play at the Western & Southern Open, limiting them strictly to sports metaphors because he’s taken things to another level – so why don’t we?

Isner is now working on some Matrix-level that’s uncharted territory for him. He has swallowed the red pill and there’s no going back. This tournament he has played each match with solid technique and improvisation, power and precision, and it looks like he’s come to realize, thanks to his early round training, that he doesn’t need the rarified air that he’s breathing. He can do whatever he wishes and pose a real challenge to anyone on the other side of the net. He’s not thinking this anymore, he knows it.

You could say that Djokovic was his jump program. There was no fear, doubt, or disbelief in his game against the world’s number on player, only determination. He’s beaten Djokovic before (in fact, Djoko is the only top player he’s beaten to this point), so he’s passed a test of sorts. Yesterday was his second leap of faith and he flew higher, much higher than he expected.

Today, against Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) is akin to that Matrix moment when Neo awaits his visit to the Oracle, where the young acolyte alerts him to the reality that “there is no spoon” to bend. Del Potro takes the first set in this match, in a tight tiebreak, thanks to a misplayed volley by Isner and in the second set, Isner goes down an early break, but fights, at the last possible moment, to seize a break of his own and then set up another tiebreak, which he wins. In large part this is due to Del Potro suffering a technical lapse with his ball toss on the serve that plagues him, rattling him for the rest of the match.

The thing is, Isner has to believe, even with Del Potro struggling, because Del Potro has been where he is now. He’s earned a Grand Slam title though, so he knows all about the tennis “Matrix.” Del Potro knows, believes he’s got what it takes. He’s not going to give up in the face of stiff competition. He might not be the next savior of the game, but he’s passed his own test.

Isner thumps his way into the third set and it looks like he knows that his time has come. And the crowd senses it too. They are with him; they believe, as much as he does. It is infectious and it means that, now that he has earned a spot in the Western & Southern Open final, the result may not really even matter, at least not when it comes to the US Open. He will face Rafael Nadal tomorrow, but win or lose, Isner can stare down any agent the game places in front of him. He can, and will, go toe-to-toe with them.

What do you believe?