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MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAÃº

March 31, 2019

John Isner

Miami, Florida

R. FEDERER/J. Isner

6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Bad luck. Can you talk about the injury, when it happened? Because you got taped, looked like, for your thigh. Then obviously you hopped up at that point. What happened? Do you know what it is?
JOHN ISNER: I didn't get taped. That was before the match.

I don't know. Somewhere along in the first set I started feeling some pain on the top of my foot, and it didn't go away. It only kept getting worse.

It's a terrible feeling, because you're on an island out there, and, you know, you have no teammates to hide behind and going up against the greatest player ever, you know, playing in this incredible atmosphere, and my foot's killing me.

Not that I would have won the match, anyways, let's make that clear, but, you know, I think I could have made for a more interesting match and one that was a little more fun.

Q. Did you think about retiring with one game to go?
JOHN ISNER: No. I mean, I knew at 3-4, whatever, I knew I wasn't going to win. I can tell you that much. Which is a weird feeling, you know, being on serve in the finals of a match and knowing that I wasn't going to win.

Look, Roger was too good. In the first five games, I was fine. Nothing was bothering me. He was all over me. Then, you know, this weird pain on the top of my foot, we'll see what is. I'm hoping it's nothing, but we'll see.

Q. Is it the first time you felt this pain? Or is it something that happened in the past?
JOHN ISNER: No, I have never had anything like this before, ever. I mean, I have had a few injuries in my career. I have been very fortunate. I have stayed healthy throughout my career. Something happened today.

It wasn't like a certain point, either. I just all of a study started feeling something, and it just kept getting a little worse, getting worse and worse as the match went on.

Q. Going back to before the injury in the first set, talk to me a little bit about that, Roger just getting in the zone immediately.
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, no, he did. He was making a lot of returns back, blocking them back. You know, I needed to come out, especially in that first game, and really try to assert myself. You know, I didn't serve a particularly great game, but he made me pay for it.

I knew he was going to play well today. I knew he was seeing the ball very big. Certainly that was the case. I wasn't up to the task in the first set, that's for sure.

Q. Back to the injury, it seemed on commentary you told the trainer you thought you had broken your foot?
JOHN ISNER: Well, I didn't know they heard that, but that's what it feels like. Now, I have no clue. That's what it feels like. I mean, I have never had a broken foot, but that's what I would imagine it would feel like.

Q. How often have guys handled your serve as well as he handled it in the first set? Do you remember any other instance?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, there have been some players. He just does it a little bit differently. He just kind of blocks it back. Whereas Novak, when he's locked in, he just kind of rips it back, doesn't block it too much.

You know, Roger was standing in close, as well, just reacting very well and very fast to my serve. I mean, he's something else.

Q. Everyone talks about the 32 tournaments without a repeat winner. What's it say that the repeat winner finally on either the ATP or WTA Tour happens to be this guy?
JOHN ISNER: Well, I guess it's kind of fitting, you know, one of our game's greats and current greats and of course all-time greats.

Q. Now that the tournament is over and you were of course in Key Biscayne last year and now here Miami Gardens, how happy are you with this new venue? Did it meet your expectations?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I'm very happy with it. I mean, that atmosphere out there today was -- I can't tell you how cool that was, seeing the whole upper deck full. I thought it was fantastic.

I mean, I think the players have enjoyed it. It's a lot of space. I think the fans have enjoyed it, as well. Just really simply amazing. I just wish I could have given them a little bit better match out there today.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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