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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 16, 2016

John Isner

Cincinnati, Ohio

J. ISNER/F. Fognini

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You guys are out on the court and get ready to play finally and then the rain comes down and you got a two-hour delay. What was that like and what you do during those two hours?
JOHN ISNER: It was fine. Every player has dealt with that. I felt like I've dealt with that a lot this year, the rain. I've been on the schedule a lot of times when it's been raining.

So just try to stay loose and chill out. Of course eat some food, and then they make the announcement 20, 30 minutes away, and you get ready at that point.

Q. What did you think was working well for you today?
JOHN ISNER: I had a very good service rhythm today. Serve has been feeling pretty good in practice. Of course I serve well a lot, but my rhythm was on pointe out there today.

I think more importantly than that I got off to a good start, and that sort of set the pace for the match.

Q. Next you play Milos Raonic; two hard-hitting servers. Talk about that and thoughts on facing him.
JOHN ISNER: Well, yeah, it's an extremely tough match. It's what I get for playing like crap and not being seeded in this tournament. That's what happens.

But at the same time, it's going to be a tough match for both of us. I'm looking forward to it. Of course it could come down to a few points here or there. It's going to be a big challenge for me.

Milos is obviously one of the best players in the game right now. I have so much respect for him as well. He does everything the right way. Fantastic player; good all-round player. Of course it starts with the serve, but it'll be a good match.

Q. That sounds a little harsh, but is that how you feel about your season?
JOHN ISNER: Maybe crap was a little harsh. Look, fortunately I've been for the most part pretty healthy. I missed a few tournaments, but I've lost a lot of close matches. You know, I've worked myself out of a seed in this tournament. That's what can happen. You can win a match and play a top seed, which is the case for me tomorrow.

But of course I believe I can win the match as well. I feel like I'm starting to turn the corner on things. I'm not too worried about it.

Q. Steve Johnson is close in the ranking. Do you care about that at all?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah. I mean, of course I do. I want to be the No. 1 American, but I need to really just worry about myself, and all that other stuff will take care of itself.

I've lost a lot of close matches this year, a lot of matches where I've won more points than my opponent. Just haven't gone my way.

I can't complain because I've won my fair share of matches that way as well. Just takes one or two tight matches pulling through, and then next thing you know, I could be off and running.

But I feel like I'm playing well and doing all the right things. Just looking forward to my next challenge tomorrow.

Q. Did the ranking slip sneak up on you?
JOHN ISNER: It did. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I started the year off well and then I had two really close losses down in South America, and then these close losses, they just kept snowballing. I mean, I've lost a lot of matches 7-6 in in the third. I don't think I've won any of them, and a lot of them with match points.

Of course it wears on you mentally for sure. It has nothing to do with bad luck. It's just bad playing and not -- getting a little tight and not playing the right way in the big moments, and that's what can happen, especially with me, how close my margins can be in matches.

If I don't do the right things in those big moments, I could very easily lose to a lot of players. That's what has happened this year.

It's actually not all too bad. I do hold myself to a pretty high standard and have been accustomed to playing a little bit better in this.

Q. You were pretty clear about the reasons for skipping the Olympics. Now that you're on the other end of that decision, how do you feel it all worked out for you?
JOHN ISNER: No, I feel like it worked out. I'm certainly -- I feel fresh right now. Look, my opponent today got in maybe day and a half, two days ago, and it might have showed out there.

Yeah, I mean, the reason I did skip the Olympics was to be as best prepared as I could for this tournament and ultimately the US Open, and I feel like I'm in a pretty good spot.

Q. John, I wanted to ask you about looking at and kind of interacting with your box during matches. You're probably middle of the road as far as that goes.
JOHN ISNER: Yeah.

Q. As a junior, were you ever told not to look at your parents or coach? Was that ever something that you thought of one way or the other?
JOHN ISNER: Well, yeah, I mean, everyone as a junior either sort of enjoyed their mother watching or didn't enjoy. Sometimes if I was acting like a brat on the court I could tell that my mom was pretty pissed, and I was not looking forward to the car ride home when I was 14, 15, acting like a little petulant child out there.

I feel like for the most part I respect my box. Any time I do get sort of angry or bitter on the court and chirp at my box, that's all on me. Everyone in my camp, my coach, my trainer, they do everything they can to put me in the right spot. It's on me to execute on the court. Certainly not on them.

Q. Does Opelka remind you of yourself?
JOHN ISNER: Well, of course he does, being a big kid. We share that similarity. He's going about it a different way. He didn't go to college, which looks like might have been the right decision. At 18, he's very far along with how big he is. In six years he's going to be 24. It's crazy how much road ahead these kids have.

Taylor, Jared. There are a bunch of them. Francis. Stefan, Reilley, Tommy. Probably missing a few. There is a good crop the players right now. A lot of them are already playing extremely well. I think we're seeing that with Reilley right here. It's crazy what confidence can do for you. He won some tough matches in Atlanta and has been off and running ever since.

Q. Do you think it's a special group? Would you expect a Grand Slam champion to come out of that group?
JOHN ISNER: I think it is a pretty special group. There are like eight guys, none of which chose to go to college, and seem to be pretty good players.

I mean, it's too early to tell for sure. All the players are -- they have so much untapped potential. We'll see how they develop when they get to 21, 22. I don't see a slam the next two years, but we'll see.

Q. Different route for you in February going to South America. What led you to go there?
JOHN ISNER: Something different. I feel like I can play well on clay, even better than indoors, in my opinion, sometimes.

I just went down there and lost some close matches; didn't play the right way. It was disappointing. I think I had match points in both matches I lost down there.

I don't regret the decision because I know had I won either one of those matches I could have done very well in those tournaments. It was just because I didn't play the right way in the big moments.

Q. (Regarding that being a regular stop in February.)
JOHN ISNER: Down there? I haven't thought about that yet.

Q. On the young Americans, wild cards came out today and one of them went to Del Potro. It's somewhat unusual. Thoughts on that?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, it's very unusual. Usually, the last handful full years, of course give them to the Americans and have the reciprocal wildcards with France and Australia.

So this is a very odd situation, but you wouldn't think a defending champ and someone still who is pretty young would need a wildcard. Obviously in his case he's been hurt so much. I think for the most part people agree with that decision. I guess ultimately the US Open is in the business of selling tickets, and he will certainly do that.

So he's very deserving of a wildcard. Probably won't see something like this going forward, but I think this year is a bit of an anomaly. It's fine. It's good for the tournament.

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