It must be pretty nice to be able to step up to the line and crack a 135 mph serve anytime you feel like it. Down set point, down break point, it doesn’t matter. John Isner certainly can do it. And now it has propelled the 33 year-old from Greensboro, North Carolina into the semifinals at Wimbledon.

Isner has taken advantage of his draw, and is playing better tennis with each match as he steps onto the grass at the All-England Club. Today, he was able to get the better of Milos Raonic in the quarterfinals by rocking 25 aces and saving the lone break point he faced on the afternoon.

A best-ever Grand Slam performance 👏@JohnIsner advances to the semi-finals of #Wimbledon, beating Milos Raonic 6-7(5), 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-3 pic.twitter.com/7eqvRNcq9U — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2018

Heading into the match, many expected to see several tiebreakers. Out of the four sets played, only two of them went to breakers. Isner used the momentum of seizing the second-set tiebreaker to come away with the 6-7(5) 7-6(7) 6-4 6-3 victory.

There were a few bumps in the road, but overall, the American outplayed Raonic and came up with the clutch points when he needed them. Down set point in the second-set tiebreaker, big John remained calm, cool, and collected as he beautifully stuck a backhand volley to stay in the set. Had he missed it, Raonic would have gone up two-sets-to-none and who knows what would have happened at that point?

Semi-finals sealed with a winner@JohnIsner will face Kevin Anderson in the last four of #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/1aGgrXkLsn — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2018

This is a huge breakthrough for Isner and American tennis in general. The former Georgia Bulldog had never reached the second week at Wimbledon prior to this fortnight, and it appears to be coming together at the right time for the big fella. He has not lost his serve a single time in his five matches so far at The Championships!

Isner will face off against Kevin Anderson on Friday in the semifinals, which will be the first time since Wimbledon last year that we have seen an American at this stage of a major. It was Sam Querrey who made it this far a year ago, losing of course to Marin Cilic in four sets.

“I just kept on telling myself I need to keep believing. I told myself that today was my day.” – @KAndersonATP #Wimbledonhttps://t.co/w1nhUyU51l — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2018

It’s worth mentioning that 2018 has not been completely smooth for John Isner. He had a very rough start to the season, losing to Matthew Ebden in the first round of the Australian Open. He had only a single tour-level victory to his name before the Miami Open (he did win a Davis Cup match against Dusan Lajovic).

Everything changed in Miami. John stormed through the draw with wins over players including Marin Cilic, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Alexander Zverev, for his first career Masters 1000 title. Since that event, Isner’s confidence has been sky-high. He has turned the 2018 season into a memorable one. (If only Jack Sock could have followed suit and taken the mindset of his friend Isner)

This will be the best opportunity to date for John Isner to reach a grand-slam final. Kevin Anderson did him a big favor by knocking off the defending champion, and eight-time Wimbledon champion, Roger Federer in five incredible sets. Isner possesses the 8-3 head-to-head advantage against the former Illinois college tennis player, including wins in their last five matches.

Don’t get me wrong, Anderson is no joke. He just outlasted Federer, on grass, at Wimbledon. Anybody that can accomplish a feat like that should never be taken lightly.

Isner will have to serve incredibly well, like he has been, but this match is definitely there for the taking. Two former college tennis players going at it on Centre Court in the semifinals of Wimbledon is something we didn’t expect to see.

As a big college tennis fan, I can smile knowing both Isner’s and Anderson’s hard work to get to this point has paid off, and one of them will definitely be in the finals. I’m going to take the American in this one though. It just seems like big John has been dealt the perfect hand. This is his time, and I really hope he can find a way into the Wimbledon Championship. USA! USA! USA!

Who will win and make it to the finals? Isner or Anderson? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.