The big American torpedo has cut a swathe through the Spanish armada in Auckland
When John Isner's not playing tennis he'll quite often be found at the poker table.
A game of chance, but with plenty of skill and a good dose of psychology thrown in, poker naturally attracts professional sportspeople. Tennis players, in particular, seem drawn to the game.
Former world No 1 Yvegeny Kafelnikov, for instance, is now forging a second career as a poker player.
Isner, the Heineken Open semifinalist who has wowed the crowds this week with his massive serve and never-say-die approach, rates himself a pretty decent player. But if he wants to match his tennis exploits at the poker table, he will need to watch his tells - the poker term for a piece of body language that gives vital information to opponents.
It probably doesn't matter so much in tennis, when his opponent's have a fair idea that a 220km/h thunderbolt is coming their way, but Isner has a definite tell on his serve.
During his pre-serve routine he flicks the ball between his legs from behind his back and catches it out in front of him. It is a neat trick, and it never fails him.
The tell comes when he is under pressure. When he needs a really big serve to dig himself out of a hole, he usually repeats the trick twice.
More often than not he then produces either an ace or a service winner.
"I don't think about it," he says of the routine. "Obviously it's something I picked up playing basketball. I don't even realise whether I bounce it once or twice, sometimes I might not do it at all. But it is something that gets me in the groove for my serve. It's part of my motion, it gets me set."
After a bit more thought, he figures there is a reason for the second bounce.
"I guess it's kind of like [Novak] Djokovic, he'll bounce the ball 50 times. So on the times when I am down 15-30 or 30-40, those are the times when I really need to hone in and play my best point, so more times than not I'll take more time."
It will come as no surprise to those that have seen the 2.06m American in action this week that he had to choose between basketball and tennis as his number one sport. But Isner wasn't a superstar kid who always knew he'd be a pro. Earning a university scholarship was the height of his ambition.
"Until I was 15 I played just as much basketball as I did tennis," he said. "For about half the year I really wouldn't even play tennis at all. So it was tough, I had to give up one or the other. I don't know what told me to stick with tennis. Maybe I thought I had a better shot at a scholarship at tennis. That was really my only goal, to get a college scholarship, it wasn't to turn professional.
"I think it was the right choice."
You wouldn't argue with that. Basketball's loss has been a gain for tennis - and the Heineken Open in particular.
Following up last year's effort when he battled through qualifying to make the quarter-finals, Isner has been a huge hit in Auckland this week.
In a draw containing a host of Spanish and South Amercian baseliners, Isner's game of a huge serve, a massive forehand, some surprisingly adept volleys and smashes that end up in row Z of the grandstands have provided a welcome point of difference.
It has been effective, too, with Isner proving to be a one-man torpedo that has cut a swathe through the Spanish armada.
Top-seed Tommy Robredo became his latest victim yesterday, preceded by Argentinian Juan Monaco and lesser-known Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
"They all kind of play the same style, and they really know how to breed tennis players over in Europe and South America and I don't anticipate that stoping any time soon," said Isner, whose old-school approach of actually approaching the net every now and then is a rare sight these days.
"I serve-volley, but definitely not all the time," he said. "I like to get into the net - being my size that is the right play. I don't want to hang back from the baseline with all of these guys. Although I can do it, over the course of a match if I stay in these long rallies it will wear me out more than it will wear my opponents. I need to get into the net and disrupt my opponent's flow."
His steady diet of Latin baseliners continues in today's semifinals, when Isner meets eighth seed Albert Montanes, the last Spaniard of six still afloat.
Having beaten Montanes in the opening round last year, the 24-year-old will fancy his chances of booking a spot in just his second ATP final, and perhaps even going on to claim his first title in what has become one of his favourite tournaments.
"It is crazy, I really feel like I am playing in the States," he said. "These fans here are awesome. Drinking some Heinekens probably doesn't hurt either, but they get in behind me and I really enjoy playing out here.
"But I have two more matches if I am going to get this done so nothing is proven yet. I expect another tough one against Albert because he is a great player."
