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U.S. OPEN

August 29, 2016

John Isner

New York, NY, USA

J. ISNER/F. Tiafoe

3-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When he's serving for the fifth set, what advantage do you have not being 18 years old?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I guess, I mean, experience is definitely on my side in that match, but sometimes experience is overrated.

You know, I think in that instance I actually probably played the best return game I played all match.

You know, he played very well, I thought, and he earned everything up to that point for sure. I just tried to stick with it. Was able to get back into that set at 5-4.

Actually, even though I was pretty haggard out there, I got a jolt of energy when I got it back to 5-4.

Q. Were you at all surprised by his level of play?
JOHN ISNER: No, I wasn't. I mean, I know how talented he is. At such a young age, he seems to be the type of kid that can rise up to the big occasion, big moment, and great atmosphere. He played I thought very well.

I was struggling matching his intensity. In the early goings of the match he was all over me and was the better player hands down.

I had to stick with it and had to try to tilt the match in my favor a little bit, which I was able to do.

Q. You've won some epics in your career. You've also had a lot of tough, close losses this year. Where do you rank this match as far as the drama, being out on the Grandstand for the first time?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I mean, the atmosphere was amazing. I mean, you guys saw it. Standing room only in that fifth set. The crowd was going nuts. A lot of people were cheering for him - rightfully so.

But it's definitely up there. I feel like I was due. I've lost a number of close matches this year, so to be able to pull that one out feels really good. And in the way I pulled it out feels especially good, so...

Yeah, I can't say enough about Frances. I've always liked him. Always. He's a great guy. He has a fantastic future.

Q. Can you describe what you really thought of the play of the new Grandstand? What kind of court was it? Is it quicker?
JOHN ISNER: I'm not the best person to ask when it comes to that stuff. I don't pay too much attention to it.

If I had to say, it's probably a little on the quicker side, I think. You get rewarded for the right type of play out there. I don't know.

I mean, I practiced on Armstrong. Maybe it's a little quicker, but I don't know.

Regardless, the court is beautiful and it's fun to play on.

Q. He's obviously the youngest player in the draw. What elements do you think he has to grow to play big points?
JOHN ISNER: He's got so much room to grow as a tennis player. Yeah, I think probably his second serve. He's improved his serve from when I practiced with him.

He's been at some Davis Cup ties. He definitely has improved his serve. I think the best thing he has going for him is he's just an incredible athlete. You can't really teach that.

He's got wheels; he's got the hands; he's got shots on both sides. One area, if he improves his second serve a little bit. But I would certainly buy stock in him right now for sure. He's a great player.

Q. At the end of a match when you're hitting balls into the crowd, what is that experience like and what are you trying to do?
JOHN ISNER: Oh, I don't know. I was enjoying it at that moment. The atmosphere was awesome. A lot of people were on their feet cheering for that match. They weren't just cheering for me at the end.

It's why you play. It's why you work so hard, to have moments like that. Everyone that's been part of a painful loss like that, as well. The wins, in an atmosphere like that, in a close match like that, are really sweet.

Q. How about in general, the whole experience of hitting balls in the crowd? Do you try to hit them out of the stadium? Where are you aiming?
JOHN ISNER: No. I was pretty tired. I just hit them up. I didn't hit them anywhere in particular at the end there.

Q. What did you and Frances say to each other up at the net?
JOHN ISNER: I can't really recall. I don't think he said much. I think I said, Great match. It was really fun to play against you today. Keep your head up. You know, your future is immensely bright.

I mean, I didn't say that. Keep it going, man. It was fun. I think that's what I said.

Q. How important has that slice backhand been for you to develop as a shot that gets you out of trouble sometimes? Does it get you into trouble ever?
JOHN ISNER: No, it's improved. Sort of a shot that sometimes I feel it really good and sometimes I don't. Sometimes it's not there at all. You know, leading up to this match, practicing here, I feel like that shot has been working pretty well for me.

For me to use that shot in a sort of defensive fashion is very important to get it low and get it down cross-court.

I've worked on that shot ad nauseam forever now. It's always going to be a pretty important shot for me.

Q. Does someone hit that shot best on tour?
JOHN ISNER: Roger probably. Yeah.

Q. After a match like that, when you lose a close match, how do you make it learning experience instead of making it a scar that lasts?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah. As I said before, I've lost a lot of close matches this year in final-set tiebreakers. You have to try to learn from it, even though it can sort of scar you up, as you said.

But you have to try to learn from it. You have to try to stay positive and stay the course and know that it will turn around.

I know with how I play, very good chance I'm going to be in that situation a lot. Maybe not at a Grand Slam like this, but, you know, I just stuck with it. I was confident in that fifth set icebreaker. I really believed I was going to win it.

I had no reason to believe that considering how many matches I lost, but I was positive and believed I was going to pull through.

Q. What do you like most about his game?
JOHN ISNER: His backhand is world class. His backhand return is world class. He was handling my serve better than anyone really, maybe outside of Novak. I mean, he was really on it. His forehand's great. I think that shot's improved a lot.

As I said earlier, he's such an incredible athlete. He's got that on his side. That's not going to go anywhere, so...

He's got a very bright future.

Q. As someone who follows football and other sports, what is your reaction to Colin Kaepernick's statement with not standing for the National Anthem?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I thought that was pathetic from him. The cause he was going for, fine by me, but don't do it in that fashion. He could have found some other ways to present his voice there. A lot of NBA players have done it, and good on 'em.

For him doing it in that way really irked me. I'm a big Blaine Gabbert fan now.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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