John Isner Changes Coaches

Written by: Staff on 3rd December 2012

John Isner Changes Coaches

epa03377985 John Isner of the US serves to Jarkko Nieminen of Finland during their match on the fifth day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2012. The US Open runs through Sunday 09 September 2012. EPA/JASON SZENES |

The United States’ top ranked male player John Isner, currently world no. 14 but determined to stake claim to a permanent place in the world’s top ten in 2013, has parted with his coach of nearly three years, Craig Boynton and appointed fellow Georgia Bulldog Michael Sell as a replacement.

Many expected 27 year-old Isner to be much closer to the top of the sport by now but the 6ft 9ins tall big server suffered first round exits in the last three Grand Slam tournaments of 2012 and despite taking his tally of ATP World Tour titles to five last year with tournament wins in Newport and Winston-Salem, he sees the need for a new impetus.

Isner may have established a reputation as a marathon man after his record breaking win over Frenchman Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon in 2010 but at all four majors this year, he lost out in five sets. After Isner lost in the third round of the US Open to Philipp Kohlschreiber, he won only two more matches during the ATP season and saw his ranking subsequently slide.

New Jersey resident Sell, aged 40, was a former coach of WTA no.1 Monica Seles. He became Lead National Coach for Men’s Tennis with the United States Tennis Association and spent time coaching Donald Young, helping the American to his first ATP final in Bangkok during October 2011.

Like Isner, Sell played four years of collegiate tennis for the University of Georgia and was an All-American every year from 1992 to 1995. He will work with his new charge throughout the off-season before Isner begins 2013 playing in the Hopman Cup for the US alongside Venus Williams in Perth.

Sam Duvall, Isner’s agent with Lagardere Unlimited, insisted the split with Boynton was totally amicable and the player said: “I had a great run with Craig, learned a lot and felt like I improved every year.

“I just felt like it was time for a different voice. CB and I will remain great friends, and he will always be someone I can go to for help or advice.”

Boynton will remain based as Head of Pro Tennis at the Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Florida where Isner and several other American players are based.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Atp, Craig Boynton, Georgia Bulldog Michael Sell, John Isner, men tennis news, Usta