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BNP PARIBAS OPENMarch 17, 2012John IsnerINDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA J. ISNER/N. Djokovic THE MODERATOR: John is the first American to beat the world No. 1 since James Blake beat Federer in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and tomorrow he'll try to become the first American to win here in Indian Wells since Andre Agassi in 2001. With the win today, he'll also crack the top 10 next week. Questions. Q. Have you consumed all of that information? JOHN ISNER: Yeah. I think all of that was very nice, but I still have one more match to go. Q. Other than serving big, just talk about some of the keys today. Seems like you were playing loose and going after your shots and stayed mentally tough when you had to there at the end. JOHN ISNER:  Yeah, I knew going into the match that I had to, you know, stay loose and go for my shots. Also knew going into the match that I was going to make a lot of mistakes, but I also knew I was gonna hit some winners. As long as I was playing aggressively through the whole match, whether I win or lose, I was going to be happy with the result. The first set was really key, because, you know, he came out and got on top of me early. Obviously me ‑‑ 5‑4 I think I got back on serve. That gave me a lot of momentum. And winning that first set tiebreaker, I knew that I was firmly in the match. At that point‑‑ I believed I could win the match, but at that point it was within my reach. Q. How much belief has that win in Switzerland over Federer given you're playing these top three multiple‑slam winner guys? JOHN ISNER: It does. It does. I knew going into this year that, you know, I had the tools and I had the game to be able to, you know, at least compete with these guys. I take the court no matter who I'm playing expecting to win and believing to win. There's really no reason to take the court if I believe otherwise. So the win against Roger was very big for my confidence, and obviously this one will be very big for my confidence, also. It was just a good day overall. Q. Can you talk a bit about the mini break in the third set tiebreaker? It was 3‑2 and you hit that big return. Can you take us through that big point? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I mean, I told myself I was going to run around the backhand and hit a forehand, and I was just hoping that he wasn't going to hit the serve up the T. He had been doing that quite a bit, especially on the ad side. Fortunately for me he didn't, and I picked the spot and I hit it and it went in. Q. Was there something that tipped maybe you that... JOHN ISNER: No. I just knew I needed to play aggressively, and I wanted to start the point out with my forehand. You know, I didn't want to be too wild, but I wanted to put a good hit on the ball, because if you don't he just gets you moving. That's why he's the best in the world. Q. I appreciate what you say that the job is not done yet; there is still another match. But it's not every day that people beat a world No. 1, so what was that feeling like when you were in the middle of the court with your arms out and the crowd was applauding? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, it was very special. That's why I play this game, is to be able to enjoy moments like that. I mean, the stadium, in my opinion, was packed, wasn't a seat in the house, and everyone was on their feet. So, you know‑‑ cheering for me, too. It was very special when that last ball went by him and I knew I had won the match. I knew it was a very‑‑ it was a weird feeling, a very nice feeling. It's something that, you know, you don't experience every day. So I was just trying to take it all in. Q. You're one of the very few in the world over the past 10 months or so who's faced these three great stars at the top of his game, Roger with all his slams and Rafa and Novak. Who do you think is the best, and how would you compare them? JOHN ISNER: That's a tough question. Right now? I mean, I think it's Novak just because he's No. 1 and he's won I think four out of the last five slams. So greatest of all time, in my opinion, I think it's Roger. But then, I mean, they're all three just incredible players. Rafa has been No. 1 forever. I don't know, these three have taken our sport to a whole new level. Q. Could you compare the returns and the movement and defense of Rafa and of Novak, please. JOHN ISNER: Yeah. I mean, they both move incredibly well. Novak gets to a lot of balls. Seems like he's just so flexible on the court. He's able to, you know‑‑ every time I hit a shot that I thought was good, I thought it was good for a winner, he was able to redirect it back somehow. And the same with Rafa. Rafa is probably the greatest competitor in the game. He just never gives up and he gets to so many balls. These guys are just so athletic, Novak and Rafa. Q. One thing that Novak said was that it was extremely frustrating playing you when you're getting in 74% of your serves. Was he frustrating you because he was getting balls back that nobody gets back against you? JOHN ISNER: No. He was, but I also knew that, you know, I have the ability to frustrate my opponents no matter who I'm playing. So I knew that going into the match. But, yeah, I also knew going into today playing against him that he was gonna get balls that in most cases would be good for winners against other players. So I sort of expected it, but he definitely had some shots today that are like, Oh, wow. How the heck did he do that? I knew what to expect today. Fortunately for me I played very well. Q. Obviously there were numerous benefits to your development as a player to play NCAA tennis. Can you talk a little bit about things that you think were good for you as a person to do the college experience? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I think it made me more well‑rounded. And on top of that, I believe, you know, going to college for four years, it took a little bit of pressure off me. You know, because I have been to college for four years, I can always fall back, you know, on that degree. So, you know, when I was 22 and I decided to go play pro, I didn't try to put too much pressure on myself. I knew I wanted to go out there and give it my best shot. I definitely have exceeded my expectations. Leaving college, I never thought I would be in the top 10. But now that I am in the top 10, I think I can keep climbing higher. College, for sure, was instrumental to my success. If I didn't go to college, I wouldn't be sitting here today. Q. Given that you've always competed well, even in college, you're a big guy, got the big weapons, why didn't you think you could ever crack the top 10? JOHN ISNER: I don't know. I've just kept on surprising myself after each year. After a certain point ‑ I think when I reached in the top 50 in the world ‑ that's actually when I actually did believe I could crack the top 10. But I've just kept on improving. I've always been a late bloomer. I was a decent junior, nothing special. I was a decent player my first years in college. I became the No. 1 player in college my junior year. So I've always improved as I've gotten older. And I am 26, which isn't exactly young, but I feel like my best tennis is still ahead of me. And I would also say I don't quite have the miles on my body that a lot of other players have because I haven't been out here since I was 17 or 18. I did surprise myself, but now that I am inside the top 10, I feel like I do belong there. I want to try my best to, you know, stay in the top 10 for a while. Q. If someone said to you on the first day you walked onto the Athens campus, Not to worry, John; someday you will be here in the desert ‑ if the weather holds ‑ and you'll face the No. 1 and 2 players in the world on the same day, what would you say? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I'd tell them to get out of here. (Laughter.) Yeah, you know, look, I went to the University of Georgia, and I wanted to go there for four years. Wherever that took me after that, I was just gonna go for it. Fortunately I had, in my opinion, the best coaching especially with Manny Diaz there. He got me ready for the pro. Now that I'm on the pro tour, my coach Craig Boynton has gotten me to this level. I've been very fortunate to have a lot, a lot of good people in my corner. Q. There is a gap, especially looking at the slams, between 1, 2, and 3 and then everybody else. How do you bridge that gap? The consistency? What makes that gulf? What it is? JOHN ISNER: It's the consistency, just like you said. It's going deep in tournaments such as this. It's nice to, you know, to win events and to win smaller events, but the ones that really matter are these Masters Series events ‑ there's nine of 'em ‑ and the four Grand Slams. Because you know that it's pretty much a given that the top four, that they're gonna be, especially in the slams, they're going to be there in the second week. For the guys after that, it's just try to keep pace. Once you get down to the final eight, final sixteen, final four of a tournament, just try your best to keep on advancing, it's very tough. I mean, I feel like I know what it takes to do that, but at the same time it's gonna be extremely tough if I'm ever gonna, you know, even crack into the top 5. Q. You hit two serves today at 143. What's your fastest serve? JOHN ISNER: I believe 148, I think. But I was‑‑ my serve shoulder felt loose today. Q. How is your bracket doing the first few days of the tournament? JOHN ISNER: Yesterday I think crippled a lot of people; same with me. But I think if Ohio State keeps winning I should be all right. Q. Does Duke losing make the week even better for you? JOHN ISNER: When I was younger it would make the week a lot better for me. I have kind of grown out of that. I'm a Georgia guy through and through. Unfortunately for me Georgia was not in the tournament, but it's football season for me now. Q. Talk about confidence. The Davis Cup must have been huge; now here some good wins. Just what is the role of confidence in tennis? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, it's huge. It's the most important thing, I think. You know, you look at Djokovic, when he finally did get to No. 1 he just started‑‑ I mean, what he did last year was incredible. It was mostly because of confidence. Obviously he has the tools and he has the talent, but he was so confident that he was able to win. He started off the year 40‑something and 0. That's unheard of. Never seen before. So these guys at the top of the game are always confident. You know, I'm just gonna look to keep on riding this wave I'm on and see how far it can take me. Q. So the game is ultimately all about slams. Are you saying to yourself, Hey, man, I can win a slam now? JOHN ISNER: I believe I can. You know, slams are tough. It's the most physical, in my opinion. You're playing three out of five. If I were to run up against that guy again in a slam, even if, you know, we were playing three out of five today I would have to finish him off with one more set. So I know it's so tough, but I enjoy the challenge. There are three more this year, and I'm gonna try to do the best I can. Q. What's the best part of the win today? Is it cracking the top 10? Is it the prize money? Is it beating Novak? You've talked about several different aspects today. Now you've been off the court for a while. What's the best part of today? JOHN ISNER: It's a lot of those things. Beating the‑‑ not many people can say they've ever beaten the No. 1 player in the world. I'll always be able to say that. I don't think it's the prize money. It's just so fun to compete out there. I'm gonna have another shot tomorrow to play in front of a packed house for a big tournament title. So I don't know. The top 10 is nice, and if I can win tomorrow, I can, I don't know, be No. 9 or something? THE MODERATOR: 8. JOHN ISNER: 8. Be firmly in the top 10. Q. Can you talk about the possibility of a finals rematch with Roger or maybe playing Rafa with the chance to beat the big three in a short time frame? Can you talk about that? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, you know, whenever they do get on, it's gonna be‑‑ you know, I expect a hell of a match. Both guys are at the top of the game right now, I believe. Roger, since I did beat him, he has not lost. He's won 14, 15 matches in a row, whatever it may be. He's obviously playing well. And then there is Rafa who is always at these stages of a tournament. So it's gonna be a very good match. It's one that I look forward to watching. Q. You've had some big wins on clay; clay season is coming, plus Davis Cup. Talk about John Isner's game on clay. Underrated? JOHN ISNER: No, I like clay. I think it's‑‑ in my opinion, clay is somewhat of a similar surface to here at this event. It's sort of a slower court but the ball still bounces up pretty high, which for me being so big, it's very good for me. That was the case in Switzerland. The ball was bouncing, and it was, for the most part, in my strike zone, which I feel like a lot of times the ball is here, too. So I'm gonna play pretty heavy clay schedule, it looks like. You know, I'm gonna take the court no matter who I'm playing believing that I can win. I'm not shying away from the clay at all. I think it's a very good surface for me. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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