The 're-invented' and the 'marathon man'
Duesseldorf
(pps) The US doubles Mardy Fish and John Isner gained the decisive second point
in the tie against Sweden, as well as the winning point in the encounter with
Kazakhstan.
The two players couldn't be more different. On one side the 2.06m, 111kg serving specialist John Isner, on the other the 'just' 1.88m tall Mardy Fish, at top ten singles player since his radical slimming. Both are good friends, as the US Americans on the ATP World Tour are in general. Fish, Isner, Andy Roddick, James Blake and Sam Querrey are something like a 'Clan'.
26-year-old Isner made tennis history at Wimbledon last year when he won the legendary first-round match against Frenchman Nicolas Mahut. The match was played on three days lasting eleven hours and five minutes before Isner won 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68 (!) serving a record 113 aces…
Those who watched Mardy Fish during his penultimate match at the ATP World Team Championship at the Duesseldorf Rochusclub two years ago would hardly have recognised him this year, for the 29-year-old American has lost almost 14kg – by changing his diet. No more pizza, no more Coke. The result: He is ranked among the top ten for the first time in his career. Fish: 'I know I can beat anybody on grass and hardcourt, but I used to lose early to the top players on clay. However, due to my good ranking position I now meet them later…'
The two players couldn't be more different. On one side the 2.06m, 111kg serving specialist John Isner, on the other the 'just' 1.88m tall Mardy Fish, at top ten singles player since his radical slimming. Both are good friends, as the US Americans on the ATP World Tour are in general. Fish, Isner, Andy Roddick, James Blake and Sam Querrey are something like a 'Clan'.
26-year-old Isner made tennis history at Wimbledon last year when he won the legendary first-round match against Frenchman Nicolas Mahut. The match was played on three days lasting eleven hours and five minutes before Isner won 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68 (!) serving a record 113 aces…
Those who watched Mardy Fish during his penultimate match at the ATP World Team Championship at the Duesseldorf Rochusclub two years ago would hardly have recognised him this year, for the 29-year-old American has lost almost 14kg – by changing his diet. No more pizza, no more Coke. The result: He is ranked among the top ten for the first time in his career. Fish: 'I know I can beat anybody on grass and hardcourt, but I used to lose early to the top players on clay. However, due to my good ranking position I now meet them later…'
