Isner: Important thing is to take the attitude that I’m happy to be competing again

John Isner, the top-ranked American men's player on the tennis tour, says he is not sure what to expect from himself when he takes on Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in the first round of the Western & Southern Open in New York. 

Isner is ranked No. 21 in the world currently and is seeded No. 16 for the tournament, which marks the first event on the ATP Tour since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the tennis tour in March.

John Isner says he is not sure what to expect from himself during the tennis return

According to Greensboro.com, Isner says he has been practising well in recent weeks but competing in a match after such a lengthy lay-off will be a completely different experience for him and the other players. "I feel like I’ve been hitting the ball well in practice, but I’m certainly not in good match shape right now. No one really is. You can train in the gym and on the practice court all you want, but it’s not the same as playing under the pressure and intensity of a tournament match. So I won’t be surprised if I go out and play very well or if I don’t play very well at all. We’ll see what happens. The most important thing for me is to take the attitude that I’m happy to be competing again.”

The American has travelled to New York without his family and is accompanied by his coach David Macpherson and his trainer Clint Cordial - saying that he did not want to expose his wife and young kids to any extra risk. "My family is not here. And as much as I miss them, I would not want them here taking an unnecessary risk. And they wouldn’t want to be here either, because the bubble we’re in is basically two hotels and the tennis center. So it’s hotel and courts, hotel and courts, every day."

With players being confined inside the bubble and the tournament being played without any fans, this US Open will certainly be a completely unique experience for players and everyone else involved. Isner is the first to admit that it's not the same as any other year but knows that this is what is required in the current scenario. "The players are not in Manhattan, and so it doesn’t have than U.S. Open feel by any means. You don’t get that New York City vibe at all. (But) There are rules in place to keep everyone safe, and that’s what all of us are abiding by now. It’s crazy to think that this is what we’re doing to be able to play a tennis tournament right now. But, as we all know, that’s what 2020 has been like for all of us.”

When the US Open begins at the end of the month, John Isner will be hoping to improve on his quarter-final appearances in 2011 and 2018. He is playing doubles with Hubert Hurkacz at the Western & Southern Open and their first round doubles match is scheduled for Saturday.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3le1Ego