John Isner: Now That I’m In The Top 10, I Want To Go Higher

Coming off the best tournament of his life, new Top 10er John Isner doesn’t want to be a flash in the pan. The big-serving Amercan who stunned Novak Djokovic last weekend to reach the BNP Parisbas Open Indian Wells finals, says everything is in place for a climb even higher in the rankings.

“It’s not surprising,” Isner said of his break into the Top 10. “I always believed in myself. I didn’t really necessarily set a timetable for it. Just if it happens, it happens.

Now that I am inside the top 10, I want to stay inside the top 10 and I want to go even higher. I really do believe that I have that in me. It’s just up to me. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing. I feel like I have a good program; I have a good training base where I train in Tampa; I have a great coach. I have all the right pieces in place for me. It’s up to me to go get it.”

The 6-foot-9 Isner also talked about early teen years, when he unexpectedly went through a growth spurt.

“I was 6’2″ [at age 15],” Isner said. “Next thing you know when I was 19 I was 6’8”. So, you know, I grew another inch. I probably grew until I was 22 just out of college.

“Certainly my mother is tall, she’s 5’11”. My brothers are tall, but not like me. They’re older. That’s why I figured, you know, I’d be maybe around their height, a little taller, whatnot. I just kept growing.”

Isner’s Miami campaign begins later today against former Top 5 player Nikolay Davydenko. If Isner does better than Mardy Fish at the tournament, John will become the new American No. 1.