Isner: A towering presence on the court

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John Isner playing pickleball with Wyatt Stone. — John Isner at the CIBC Texas Open Powered by TIXR. PPA Tour

Isner: A towering presence on the court

Victoria Radnothy

Jun 03, 2024 02:05 PM ET

DALLAS, TX – Watching John Isner play alongside Wyatt Stone at the CIBC Texas Open powered by TIXR was certainly a sight to behold.

At 6-foot-10, Isner towered over Stone and their doubles opponents. It was honestly a little comical to watch. The sheer height difference almost appeared to be a technical glitch on the PickleballTV broadcast.

Isner's reach alone makes him an outstanding playing partner because he wouldn’t even have to move his feet to hit a strong forehand.

It's safe to say he made Stone, Jay Wang and Sep Attar look rather short, but height isn't necessarily a factor when it comes to America's fastest-growing sport.

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The PPA Tour boasts quite a few tall pros.

Like Dylan Frazier, Hunter Johnson and Pablo Tellez, Lina Padegimaite is 6'0”.

Lucy Kovalova stands at 5’11”.

Dekel Bar, Jay Devilliers, and James Ignatowich are 6'3”.

Then there are other former tennis pros like Jack Sock (6'3”) and Collin Shick (6'2”) who are also tall, but not exactly NBA height.

Despite the obvious reach advantage, veteran Allyce Jones is clearly one of the best in the business at just 5-foot-2.

The Kawamoto twins, Jade and Jackie Kawamoto, also stand at 5'3”.

And the tandem of Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau are both 5'5”.

Put any of those ladies opposite towering opponents and there’s no clear advantage. That makes pickleball one of the best professional sports when it comes to skill-related diversity. Players of any body type can potentially turn pro.

Believe it or not, Isner recently claimed that his height is actually a disadvantage in pickleball.

“When you’re playing against advanced, talented players who know how to body you up, that’s when it’s tough for me because they can body me up with a speed-up right into my chest that’s hard for me to return,” he explained.

So, there’s a valuable strategy for my fellow rec players. If you encounter someone of incredible height on the court, don't be intimidated by their reach. Aim for their chest and hope they can’t counter. In short, height is just a number.