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SONY ERICSSON OPENMarch 23, 2012John IsnerMIAMI, FLORIDA J. ISNER/N. Davydenko THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. What was it like having somebody return your serve like four meters behind the baseline? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, it's interesting, but it's nothing I haven't seen before. I had a feeling that he might do that, especially on this court because it takes the kick serve very well. So for someone to stand up close, if I can get that kick serve, you know, in and short into the court it's going to bounce up really high. So I had a feeling he might do that, and it's something I've got to adjust to. But as the match went on I felt more and more comfortable with, you know, my serve and my game once he was all the way back there. Q. How do you adjust that? Try to be more accurate, less powerful? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, you know, it's more hitting your spots than necessarily speed. So when he's that far back, I think on the deuce side, the out‑wide serve is a good play. It's a good play on both sides, hit and serve out wide because he's so far back if he does get it back he's out of position. I feel like I served pretty well; pretty much hit a lot of my spots. Q. Isn't that a message for you to just go in when a guy is standing that far back? JOHN ISNER: Well, yeah. Sometimes I did mix in sever and volley, but sometimes couple times I served and volleys and he got it at my feet. So for me, it's something where‑‑ if I'm up in the game, it's something I probably could have done more, serve and volleyed, instead of, you know, get in a rally with him. Outside of that, when he's that far back, chances are I'm going to be able to start the point with my forehand, which I feel comfortable doing. So whether or not I serve and volley or not, I felt pretty comfortable. Q. The last four serves were 137, 135, 136, 129. So what were you thinking then? Seems like every time I watch you play your matches they're pretty long. My question to you is: Mentally how have you become a better player? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I think it just comes with matches. You know, I feel like I'm mentally strong in general. I'm very mentally strong right now. But there has been some cases where, you know, where I'm not playing well, where I'm not that mentally strong. So it goes hand in hand with. Actually out there on the court, hitting all your shots well goes hand in hand with being mentally strong. Right now I feel like I have that on my side. For sure at the end of the match‑‑ you know, I like my chances, you know, serving out a match whether it's 5‑4 or 5‑3 or whatever. So I felt comfortable out there, and really, really just went for my shots. Didn't want to hit another ball outside of my serve. Q. Is that the new confidence you have? After you lose the first set that you'll figure it out? JOHN ISNER: Yeah. You know, the first set was for sure ugly, but I told myself, you know, with my game, no matter how‑‑ if I lose 6‑0 or 7‑6 in the first set, I just tell myself to focus on my serve first and foremost and hold my serve. If I can do that, I'm gonna be in the match. So that's what I told myself. The breaks came after that and it made it a little bit easier for me. So even though I went down hard in that first set, I knew he still had a lot of work to do. I knew that I still had my serve on my side. Q. How does somebody 6'10" volley so beautifully? JOHN ISNER: How do I volley so beautifully? I don't know. It's something I work on. I work on it in practice and I'm very comfortable. I feel like I'm somewhat comfortable at the net. One of my best shots, or one of my favorite shots, is my dropshot volley. I like to do my dropshot in general. For a big guy I think my hands are pretty solid. When it comes to being at the net, especially like when my opponent is very far back, I feel comfortable just dropping that ball over the net. Q. It's been a few days now since getting into the top 10, and I appreciate it's not the end of the road for you, you want to go higher. But has it sunk in that you're in the top 10 for the first time? And how are you feeling now about it? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, it has. It's nothing‑‑ I didn't look at the rankings and stare at it or anything like that. It's something I thought I could accomplish. Now that I have, you know, I'm happy, but I'm definitely not satisfied. But for sure, no, it has sunk in. It sunk in, I guess, as soon as I got into the top 10. It's nice. But, you know, I'm No. 10. As my coach says, I want to become a singleton. I want to become‑‑ have a single digit by my name instead of two. Q. You might have Tsonga down the road. He's looking pretty good. What are your thoughts on that possible match down the road? JOHN ISNER: No thoughts. Focus on my next match. Q. Lately you have become like very difficult to beat when you get, you know, the guys out there at the end of a match. So you're very‑‑ seems like you're very confident. What was the difference before and now? Where do you get this level of confidence just serving out a match? JOHN ISNER: It comes from winning matches and being in that position. You know, for me, you know, when I have a chance to serve out the match, you know, the match is completely on my racquet and I'm very confident in my serve. On top of that, I have played well this year and I'm coming off a really good tournament. So, you know, for instance, today at 5‑4, even though I had Love‑30 the previous game, I maybe could have won 6‑3, but I didn't. I didn't bat an eye, and I went out there and made four first serves and got off the court as quick as possible. So it's something I'm very comfortable doing. When I'm up a break in a set I feel like I'm a pretty good front runner, and that was the case today. Q. (Question concerning weather in Indian Wells.) JOHN ISNER: It was hot at the beginning of the week, and it changed pretty drastically towards the weekend. So it fluctuates a lot there. Q. Milos was asked who has the harder serve, you or him. He said he has the harder one but you place it better. Do you agree with that? JOHN ISNER: I don't know. That's easy to find out. Has he hit a serve faster than me? If he's hit a serve faster than me this year, then it is him. But I'm a little bit taller than him so I can place it better. There you go. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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