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MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAUApril 2, 2015John IsnerMIAMI, FLORIDA J. ISNER/K. Nishikori THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. I think "clinical" is a word that comes to mind. Could you analyze it or assess it? JOHN ISNER: It was a very good match. You know, a lot of times just to get to a situation to play like that you sort of have to win a match that maybe I couldn't, shouldn't have won, which was my last match. I was down a set and two mini breaks in the second set tiebreaker against one of the best servers in the world, and I was able to turn that match around. Now I'm in the semifinals. You look at Berdych, who was down more of a deficit ‑ a set and 4‑0 and sort of maybe playing with a little bit of house money out there today. But played extremely well. I have nothing, nothing to complain about, that's for sure. Q. Seems to be the most really good wins you've strung together over a period of time. JOHN ISNER: Yeah. Q. How did you account for the consistency? JOHN ISNER:  I don't know. Things just snowball for me. For starters, I can't ask for better conditions out there. I absolutely just can't. You know, with the balls, the court, the balls bouncing high, it's hot, it's not that humid so it's not taking a lot out of me. It's perfect conditions ore me. I just played well. I mean, I've been serving well really for a while now, and I did that again today. So I was taking care of my serve. I was taking my chances on his serve, and the ball was finding the right spots for me. Q. You just said the condition is perfect for you. Could you explain a little bit more? Because of the center court or because of wind or... JOHN ISNER: No, it wasn't that windy. It's the ball is bouncing really high. So for me, being so tall, it's great, because I can get the ball up high on my opponent. When I'm hitting groundstrokes, the ball is where I want it, you know, above my waist really. You know, with my serve it's moving through the court pretty good. My groundstrokes, it's sitting at a spot where I really like it. So I mean, all conditions are different, but this is perfect for me. Q. I think it was 4‑4, Love‑30, and then I think you ripped off 20 out of 22 points or something like that. When you get into a groove like that, can you explain it laypeople what that feels like? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I mean, it doesn't happen for me as much as it happens for a guy like Roger or Novak. I can probably count on one hand the times I've gotten in a groove like that. But it feels good. I was down Love‑30 at 4‑All. When I was able to break at 5‑4, took a lot of pressure off me. Prior to that the match was a little choppy and he was missing some balls, I was missing some balls, but that took a lot of pressure off me. I got extremely fortunate on the net cord at Love‑40, but I went for the right shot. I hit that forehand exactly how I needed to hit it and I just got really, really comfortable and confident from that point on. I played the breakpoints well and I took care of my serve extremely well. Q. Today was your first encounter with Kei. JOHN ISNER: Yeah. Q. Did you find it's difficult for him to read your service like today? JOHN ISNER: Maybe today‑‑ I mean, I played very well. If I play him again, I'm going to need to bring that level in order to beat him. He's an incredible player and he's had an incredible last 365 days, really. I needed to play well to beat him, and that's what I did. I have so much respect for him. He's fantastic. He does everything so well, but it was my day today. I will play him again, and probably match won't be as straightforward as it was today. Q. I know that we and the fans like the narrative of the last American, the last American. Does that enter your mind? Does it give you any more motivation knowing that you are carrying the American flag for American men in this tournament? JOHN ISNER: Not really. I've been in this situation before. I was in this situation last week in Indian Wells, but didn't last too long. I was the last American for a few hours. It's fine. But I think the American players are playing better. You look at a guy like Jack who is doing amazing things in doubles, but he didn't play a match for three, four months or whatever and won a lot of singles matches. Just so happens I'm the final American right now. Yeah, I like being in this position, but I'm not really thinking about that. I'm worrying about trying to really win this tournament. I believe I can do it, but it's so tough. There are five incredible players left, and I'm one of them. I'm proud of that. Q. One more thing: I was here the other night for the late‑night match. How much confidence and energy did that match give you? There was a lot of energy and all the Georgia fans were yelling and barking and all that stuff. Did that motivate you going into this match? JOHN ISNER: It did. And the fact that I didn't play singles yesterday helped as well. You finish at 1:00 in the morning after a match like that, it would be tough to rock up the next day and play singles. I was able to just play a doubles match yesterday which, turned out to be perfect practice in my preparation for today. I felt great out there physically. I was a little tired yesterday, but today felt great. I had a lot of things going for me. I pulled out a match in the round of 16. That one that I easily could have lost, so that gave me some confidence. Then today I played the best match I've played all year, hands down. Q. I wanted to ask you, I think you had lost four straight matches going into Indian Wells. JOHN ISNER: Yeah. Q. What was your mindset going into that tournament, and why do you feel like you've been able to turn things around so quickly and dramatically for yourself? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, really I think I turned it around in the match that I lost against Andy Murray on Sunday of that Davis Cup. Even though I lost, I felt like I played pretty well. I definitely played the right way. On Friday I didn't play the right way.  That's what can happen when I play passively and defensively. Anyone can beat me. That's what happened on the Friday of that tie. On Sunday going up against one of the greatest players in the world, I had no choice but to go for my shots and go for them big. He just played better than me in front of his home crowd. It was tough ask, but I played the right way. As disappointing as that whole week was for me, I felt like I may have turned my season around a little bit. In fact, Jim Courier your told me that. He said that I did turn my season around. I got to California, and really had a nice long car ride with Justin from LAX to Indian Wells after I landed from London. Spoke about a few things and he got me in a very, very good mindset. Not that I've been working harder. Nothing to do with that. It's all a mindset. I've always believed in everything Justin has told me up this until this point, and I think things are starting to pay off a little bit. Q. Let's say it's Novak in the next round. You've had some good results against him and tough matches. What are your thoughts going into playing him? JOHN ISNER: I'll have nothing to lose. I run into him a lot in Masters events, especially in the U.S. I think this would be our fourth encounter or something like that, playing at a Masters event in the States. Maybe fifth. I don't know. But playing him, it's always a challenge. He's the greatest player in the world right now hands down. I played well against him last week in Indian Wells and he beat me in a tight two‑set match. I'm going to have to bring that level and some if I do play against him. I believe I can do that. Think I exhibited that today. He's got a tough match against one of the best competitors or sport has. Once my doubles ends, I'll sit back and watch that a little bit. Q. In the middle of a match do you hear individual people screaming out? I can tell you, there were two by my broadcast booth that are like nails on a chalkboard. JOHN ISNER: Today especially I was in a pretty good zone. I wasn't paying much attention to anything outside of the court. I would look up to my box and my coach Justin. He was giving me some very positive encouragement. Today I just stayed really focused. Really sort cliche, but I played it point by point and didn't let anything else really affect me. I kept it between the lines while I was playing. Just look up to my box every once in a while and didn't look around. Q. Did you pick the correct Final 4? JOHN ISNER: Yeah. I'm more proud of that than how I played today actually. No, I'm kidding. (Laughter.) I did. It's lucky, but I did, yes. Toot my own horn a little bit. But I was able to do that, yeah. Q. What were your predictions? JOHN ISNER: I think I have Wisconsin over Duke, but if I had to‑‑ I think Kentucky might‑‑ in order to like really do well in a pool like that you got to pick some upsets, but Kentucky looks pretty tough. We'll see. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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