TENNIS 2014 ROLAND GARROS – 30th of May 2014. J. Isner d. T. Robredo 7-6, 7-6, 6-7, 7-5. An interview with John Isner
Q. You’ve gotta be pretty pleased with that result.
JOHN ISNER: Yeah. Yeah, very. Yeah, there was that guy is really good, very good, especially on clay.
So for me it’s a very good win. Happy with how the match ended and very happy with how I served, obviously.
You know, I think it could have been better throughout the match. But, you know, just as my first two matches, I’m moving on, so very happy with that and look forward to my next one.
Q. How does the body feel?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, I mean, it’s a little stiff right now, but, you know, once you stretch and get a massage and hit a little bit tomorrow and do the same thing over again, I mean, I’ll be fine in two days.
Right now I don’t feel great, but…
Q. Is there a sort of cumulative, maybe mental drain at all when you’re in a match like that and you do get some break chances but you can’t convert and they sort of add up?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, no, extremely. You know, it’s very mentally taxing out there. It’s obviously very physical, too.
But the more tired I got out there the better I started to play. That actually happens a lot with me, because I don’t have as much energy so I just kind of have to go for it. I don’t want to run around side to side.
But I’m happy with that last game at 5 All or whatever it was.
So a fifth set out there, I don’t know. I don’t know if that would have been too good for me.
Q. You have spoken about some of your problems you have had in European venues playing here. Just talk about sort of winning on clay against a guy who is a pretty darn baseliner, Spanish guy and going really deep into the French, is that kind of a feel good moments for you, redemption? Just talk about that.
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, it is. I’m in the second week of the tournament and that’s nice. It’s been a while since I have been in the second week of any Grand Slam. I’m happy about that.
In the last two years I have always said that I want to improve on my Grand Slam results and I haven’t really done it. Here I have.
The further you keep progressing in this tournament, the field gets smaller. I still believe I can keep on going. It’s extremely tough. Each match is going to be tougher and tougher.
But I’m very happy right now. Being in the second week here is a very good accomplishment for me.
Q. On the women’s side, top three seeds are out already, and third round is not even over. Do you ever wish that could happen on the men’s side? Because that never happens.
JOHN ISNER: Last year at Wimbledon, I was in that section that Rafa and Roger, I think I was the highest seed when those guys went out and unfortunately I got hurt.
It doesn’t happen too often on the men’s side, but I guess it did last year at Wimbledon.
No, you know, I mean, in order to win a Grand Slam, you’ve seen, you’ve got to go through at the very minimum two of the top guys. That’s what it seems like, they’re always there.
Q. How would you describe the clay here? What makes it special? How dirty does it leave you on your clothes?
JOHN ISNER: Dirty? Yeah, it’s great clay. I mean, it’s probably the best in the world, I think. I mean, they do such a good job keeping the courts in very good shape.
More than that, I mean, just as in every Grand Slam, I think it’s the atmosphere that really makes this tournament. You know, really got a global audience watching this event for us.
So, yeah, the clay here, you know, it’s not something I play on too much, but it’s something I enjoy playing on. And, yeah, I get extremely dirty, but luckily they have great laundry service in the locker room and I just turn it in and don’t have to deal with it.
Q. Can you speak about the thought of playing tiebreaks? You already played eight here in Roland Garros. How demanding is it? How different is it from your normal game?
JOHN ISNER: Yeah, for me, it’s a situation I have been in before, and it’s also a situation I think that favors me a little bit and I have exhibited that this week so far.
It’s I’m always pretty confident when I get in that situation, and I think it’s shown so far.
But at the same time, you know, I could, you know, I could be home right now on my couch in Florida and not talking to you guys, because my matches have been very, very close.
Fortunately for me I have been able to pull through on all of them. If it gets to that situation again, as this tournament progresses, I will be confident.