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MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAÃº

March 30, 2018

John Isner

Miami, Florida

J. ISNER/J. Del Potro

6-1, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Were you surprised really at how overwhelmingly you were able to handle him?
JOHN ISNER: Ah, yeah. I mean, look, I had a feeling that it could be a case where he came out a little bit slow, simply because he's played so many matches and he's understandably sort of running on fumes.

So that was certainly a big advantage for me. I was much fresher than him, and I think that played a big role today.

But also, I did play my game well, so that certainly helped. You know, he's coming into this match winning so many matches. When you're that confident, even when you're super, super tired, you still find a way to win. So I knew he had that on his side.

So it was a battle of, you know, me being fresher but him being exhausted but super confident. But fortunately, I was able to win.

Q. Your serve is often money in the bank. Your return game seemed to have been really, really good this week. Was there something you did or you're just catching a wave?
JOHN ISNER: Things are just clicking. Look, if I'm returning well and getting in return games, that should bode well for me, given how I serve. Very happy it's all sort of coming together right now.

Q. Did you come into the match with a clear game plan? I mean, you seemed to be targeting his backhand quite a lot. Was that something that you were consciously preparing to do before you came onto the court?
JOHN ISNER: I mean, I had a game plan, but it wasn't what I was solely focused on out there. I just, all the time, I like hitting -- I prefer hitting my forehand inside out and my backhand crosscourt, so that just happens to go to his backhand.

There was a game plan. I stuck to it pretty well. I think more importantly than that, it was just a case of me playing some good tennis out there and being relaxed, which was crucial.

Q. I think you said on court that it's been a very, very long time with these sort of results. Can you remember specifically how far back and when was the last time you actually felt as good as you're feeling this tournament and the way you're playing?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah. I mean, it's been a while. Last year in the summer I hit a run of form when I was playing pretty well, but I wasn't beating the caliber of players that I'm beating now.

So, you know, I just know with my game, if I'm doing the right things, it doesn't really matter who I'm playing. I'm going to be very tough to beat.

But if I'm on the flip side of that, if I'm not playing too confidently out there and not doing the right things on the court, I can be beaten by anybody, as well.

It's been a very streaky year so far, but I'm very happy to be on the good side of that streak right now.

Q. Continuing about what you just said, you had quite a tough bump in Acapulco, and after that, from Day One, you started playing here in Miami at an incredible level. What adjustments you said you made to be so confident on court?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, after Acapulco, I went to Dallas for a few days. Then I went to LA for four or five days before Indian Wells.

I put in a lot of hard work. But at the same time, I knew that, you know, that hard work, it doesn't get rewarded right away. Then I go to Indian Wells and I lost a very, very tough match, a match that I had match point in.

But I think the most important, I think the main reason why I'm playing so well -- there is two reasons, really. I think doing well in the doubles in Indian Wells helped a lot. It kept me in match mode, and I was getting real live reps on return. Playing in a pressure situation, even though it's doubles, I think that helped a lot. When I have done well in doubles in the past, it's always carried over to my singles game going forward.

But with my coach, David Macpherson and I, when I first got to Miami, we have been having dinner every night and talking some things over. So it's not a situation this week where I was just putting in the hard work. Of course I was working hard, but I was just -- I have been more relaxed on the court, and I think that's showing in my play.

Q. Can you talk about either Sascha or Pablo?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah. Well, I have never played Pablo before. He's a rock-solid player, you know, just kind of cut from that Spanish cloth, one of those guys that just works his ass off and doesn't give up and always competes, incredible player.

Sascha I'm 0-3 against. So, yeah, I mean, you would think, oh -- but I don't really have a preference on who I play. Doesn't matter to me. I'm just going to focus on what I do well and come up with a game plan with whoever I'm playing on Sunday.

But either way, we know both these players' credentials, and Sascha, also, I mean, he's the best young player this game has.

Q. A lot of times when players have a real good result after struggling for a bit, there is a turnaround moment, a specific match in a tournament, whatever, when suddenly things click and it just becomes easier after that. Did you have one of those?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, my first round. I had won the first set and was 7-6 and wasn't a pretty first set by any means. I was a little tight, little tense. The second set I sort of hurt my groin a little bit and had to leave the court to get a medical timeout.

I walk back onto the court in the third set not feeling really 100% physically, but I knew the only way I was going to be able to win this match is if I free up and just loosen up and just hit the ball. If I'm playing tight and tense, it's going to bother my leg.

It was sort of a weird -- at the time I'm thinking, oh, crap, my groin's kind of hurting, but I taped it up and was able to get through that third set not really feeling too well, but I was playing loose and playing free. And then from there I have been on the right path.

Q. Kind of interesting tournament in terms of -- I know it was a while back, but you went the college route. Danielle Collins did really well and went the college route. Do you have any thoughts on that? Maybe do you feel like some players would give more consideration to that? What's your just general thoughts on that?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, college is certainly "the" right choice for some players, and the players that have made that decision that are doing well on the pro tour I think you could attribute a lot, a lot of that to going to college and maturing and just becoming a better person and becoming a better tennis player. I'm talking about myself, Steve, Kevin Anderson, Danielle, of course. Her run was awesome this week, and she played well last week, also.

College tennis can do great things for your game. You learn how to win. Winning at any level is very, very important, and it gives you confidence and gives you those match wins under your belt.

But there are a lot of players, college isn't for them simply because they are too good for it. You know, you see a guy like Jack and Sam Querrey and a lot of the foreigners and Sascha and all these guys, like, it was a no-brainer for them not to go to college because they're that good.

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