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BNP PARIBAS OPENMarch 9, 2013John IsnerINDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA L. HEWITT/J. Isner THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Tight match. You were in there. Almost broke back. What was the difference in your mind? JOHN ISNER: You know, it's a tough match. I knew it was going to be. Lleyton is such a good competitor. I don't care what he's ranked or whatever. I don't know what he's ranked right now. I felt like he's better than that number, whatever it is. You know, he's one of the greatest competitors this game has ever seen, and he's tough to play. You know, he was better than me. The margins and, you know, I feel like for myself are just‑‑ they're just in general really thin. You know, the matches, I have certainly won a lot of matches, a lot of close matches like that one, but this time I didn't. You know, he was just better. Q. Do you feel like it's a question of confidence in certain moments or just not quite getting on a run yet this year? JOHN ISNER: Well, yeah. I mean, certainly I felt like I could have played a little bit better. You know, I needed to play very well to win today, and I don't feel like I necessarily did that. But I think Lleyton had a lot to do with it. It's just, you know, it's very disappointing. But I believe things will get better. As long as I continue to believe that, then‑‑ you know, I just hope that things will get better, and I do believe that they will. Just gotta keep plugging away. Q. You're defending final‑round points coming in here. Any pressure? JOHN ISNER: No. No. Q. You weren't even thinking about it? JOHN ISNER: 2013 is completely different to 2012. Has nothing to do with it. Q. You want to just assess your year overall. JOHN ISNER: It's not great so far. Q. How are you feeling with your schedule? You skipped Australia. You played a bunch of events, Davis Cup, San Jose, Memphis, Delray. Do you feel fresh enough coming in here? JOHN ISNER: Yeah. I have had time at home. I was home after Memphis, home after Delray. It's not like I have been on the road. I feel fine. Q. Are you practicing well? Do you feel like you're striking the ball well in practice? JOHN ISNER: Uh‑huh. Q. So you're not quite bringing that into matches? JOHN ISNER: Uh‑huh. Q. Because? JOHN ISNER: You tell me. I don't know. Q. Talk about the mindset playing someone like Lleyton. He's scrappy, gets to every ball. How did that change your game today? What did you have to do differently and why didn't it work? JOHN ISNER: I needed to ‑‑the shots that I went for, I needed to find the court. They just didn't quite do that. Like you said, he's scrappy. You know, he's a very good player. Tough match. He can give anybody a tough match. I don't think ‑‑there's no shame in losing to him, certainly. It's just, you know, no one likes losing early in tournaments, and I'm the same. Q. It's tough to pivot from one event to the next, but down the line, of course, there's Davis Cup, and I presume you're going to want to play. Can you talk a little bit about playing in a small city, not known for tennis, high altitude, playing against a tough team? Just reflect on that. JOHN ISNER: I haven't thought about that right now. When that week comes, I'll think about it. I've got Miami ahead of me. I need to try to get better before Davis Cup. Q. Is the knee still holding up well? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, the knee feels fine. It's not an issue of health. Q. Given all the matches you've played, it... JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I haven't played that many matches. No, I feel good. That's the one good thing, I guess, is that I'm healthy. I hope to stay that way. I think I will. Q. What do you think you do from here to get back on the track you want to be on? JOHN ISNER: You know, there's nothing I'm doing wrong off the court. Things just gotta go my way a little bit better on the court. As I said earlier, the margins are really thin for a player like myself, and I guess so far things just aren't quite going my way. But try to continue to be positive. I'm still in doubles here. I'll have fun with that and just enjoy my time. You know, playing tennis for a living, it's not so bad. Q. I know obviously you broke out in D.C. winning five straight third tiebreakers. Margins have always been small for you in your career. JOHN ISNER: Yep. Q. Is there anything you can do to make them bigger? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I wish. Yeah, no, I just need to play better. I have played ‑‑ certainly played some very good matches in my career. You know, if I want to be up there with the best players I've gotta be better. I know I have it in me. It's just a matter of it coming out. Q. You used the phrase "one good thing." Well, one good thing is Georgia had a big win over Kentucky the other night. Assess their chances of a decent run in the postseason. JOHN ISNER: I mean, I don't know. They're probably not going to win the SEC tournament, so... Q. How much is a factor of nerves, possible nerves in the match when you're up against somebody like Hewitt who just doesn't let up? JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I was a little nervous. You know, honestly, you know, I prefer actually to sort of work my way through a tournament a lot of times not necessarily on stadium. I have always felt like I sort of played better that way, especially in the earlier rounds. Early rounds are always tough for me, you know, playing Lleyton, a guy who had won a match just to get to me. He had that under his belt. Yeah, I was a little bit nervous. Just nothing ‑‑I mean, I don't know. It's just nothing ‑‑ I don't know. Just try to settle down a little bit. But, I don't know. Just didn't happen today. Q. When you talk about starting on stadium, that's probably something that comes from being the No. 1 American and playing in the U.S. Is that something that's been harder for you to adjust to than you thought, or... JOHN ISNER: Well, I haven't really done it all that much, but I just ‑‑I don't know. I just felt more comfortable early on in a tournament with necessarily the, I guess the light's not on me all the time. It's a little bit tough. But, you know, I'd rather be in this position than not, but I don't know. I know ‑‑I guess I have a little taste of how these guys always on stadium feel. It's tough, and just wish I was a little better today. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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