While we rightly praise James for his performance in this match I think that we too often miss some perspective. Isner was simply woeful for much of the match and had he played anywhere near his best he would have won it. To a similar degree his win over Querrey the year before was largely a result of his opponent choking in the 4th and collapsing in the 5th.
That doesn't take anything away from James' victories. He played terrific in those matches and if he could produce that intensity week in week out he would do much better but I do think we sometimes over hype those victories and what they actually say about James' ability as a tennis player. I don't think that it is a coincidence that James' 3 big Davis Cup wins (these 2 + Tursunov) came against players who are not exactly noted for subtlety, variety or tactical awareness.
I wasn't actually posting that to discuss Ward's prowess (though it was a good game!) - rather because it's a reminder that there are always multiple storylines in any match ... not to mention that the triumph for one can look like disaster for the other, but then turn into a benefit in the long run. Rather hope that Mr Ward's recent poor run may in its own way be a spur to better things.
I wasn't actually posting that to discuss Ward's prowess (though it was a good game!) - rather because it's a reminder that there are always multiple storylines in any match ... not to mention that the triumph for one can look like disaster for the other, but then turn into a benefit in the long run. Rather hope that Mr Ward's recent poor run may in its own way be a spur to better things.
Although for all that hype Isner has just been convincingly beaten be Jeremy Chardy in R2 of the French Open.
Yes, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he's had a good few months overall. Or the fact that he seems to have taken some benefits from what felt like a disaster. He doesn't have to live up to all the article's hype for those things to be the case!
For all that James frustrates me, would like him to get the points he needs in the grass challys to get him in the top 100 and get the monkey off his back; will be interesting to see how he plays then