August 9, 2024 • 9 mins
Tony chats with tennis legend John Isner ahead of the Cincinnati Open, on ESPN 1530!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back sincey three sixty ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
As we roll along here on another awesome day here
on CINCY three to sixty. Let's take a break from
the football side of things real quick, because there's a
lot going on upcoming in Cincinnati at the Cincinnati Open.
You knew it formally as the Western and Southern Open,
but they have some really cool stuff coming up starting Saturday.
(00:22):
The tournament is back, It is staying in Cincinnati, and
we have a very special guest joining us now to
talk a little bit about that tournament. Fourteen four hundred
and seventy aces in his career has had some great
moments in Cincinnati as well. John Isner is with us
right now. John, what's up?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Not much appreciate you having me on. Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Look, before I get into this, can can you take
me back? Because you're a big Carolina Panther fan. Do
you remember the Do you remember the excitement that you
probably had in twenty ten when the Panthers went back
in the quarterback position in the sixth round after drafting
Jimmy Clawson and what and grabbed me as well. You
had to be extremely excited about the future.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Then absolutely absolute stud at out of Cincinnati. It was
a great, great draft of the Panthers for sure.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Look, you have had a very storied career, an awesome career,
so many cool moments, so many cool matches. Now that
you've put the racket down for the most part, what
are you up to now?
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, well, yeah, put the racket down, so you know,
you try to figure out what's next. I've done some
TV and get in the sports media like yourself, Tony
a bit, and that's been fun, you know, the first
and foremost, Like you know, got a like a big
and healthy family, which is very fortunate to have to
spend a lot of time with the kids and do
(01:44):
a lot of stuff in Dallas where I live right now,
and so just trying to figure it out. But certainly
certainly different when you do something for so long, really
twenty years, I did the same thing pretty much each
and every day, and all of a sudden that's over.
It changes your life pretty drastically, and it's a bit
of an adjustment something that I think I'm getting better at.
Right now.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
I want to get into what you have coming up
this weekend here in Cincinnati, But first, the Cincinnati Tournament
in itself. Now, the Cincinnati Open twenty thirteen. I remember,
I'm there, You're playing in the finals of the tournament
against Rafael Nadal. You had so many great matches here
in Cincinnati. I want to ask you what was it
(02:25):
about this tournament because obviously it's not on the level
of the majors, but yet year in and year out,
the top players from across the world, men's and women's
make it a point to come to Cincinnati. Why is that.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Well, look, it's one of the biggest events we have
on tour, of course, the outside of the Grand Slams,
and it's two weeks before the US Open, so everyone
wants to get sharp, you know, going into New York,
especially the top players. It's why Roger Feederer, Novak, these
guys never ever missed the Cincinnati tournaments. It's a great
way to get their game in shape for the US
(02:58):
op And on top of that, it's a huge tournament
and be a plane for life playing for a lot
of prize money, a lot of points, I mean points.
Most importantly is it's our currency on the ATP Tour.
So just a great event to be at in a
town supports it so well. The atmosphere is always absolutely incredible.
It's just a fantastic place to play. And it's a
little bit low key obviously in Mason compared to New York.
(03:19):
It's not the hustle and bustle of New York, and
I think players appreciate that. New York it's just hecktic.
There's so much going on it can kind of wear
you us so oftentimes in New York, can find yourself
being dis exhausted when you get on the court to
play your first matters. This is so much going on
in that city.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Side note real quick before we get to Saturday, Novak
Djokovich what he was able to do. He's in the Olympics.
He wins a gold medal, and you immediately saw the
passion and what winning a gold medal meant for him
on understanding the ins and outs of how rigorous this
is on your body. To see him do this so
quickly after having the knee injury, it has to be
(03:56):
even more amazing. On so many amazing parts of his career,
but seeing that gold medal is what he's been through
from an injury standpoint, had to be amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Well yeah, I mean well, and now he's pretty much
like he has completed tennis. It's literally not a tournament
he hasn't won before. And that was the one event
he didn't have a gold metal he didn't win. And
the men singles at the Olympics. Of course, someone comes
around every four years. We don't had that many opportunities.
And prior to this year he called his shot. He said,
(04:26):
the one tournament I want to I want to win
is the Olympics. That's my number one goal. And he
went out and did it. It's it's pretty incredible. The
best player of all time that like it can't be
argued anymore if you look at the numbers and just
what a story. I mean, a lot of question marks
with his knee. And he loses in the finals alcorat
that Wimbledon, like pretty comprehensively, then comes back a few
(04:46):
weeks later and beats him at the final of the Olympics.
That's amazing to see. And what he's doing at thirty
seven is is unheard of, really, and he has he's
not slowing down anytimes too. I think he said the
other day he might he would you would love to
play the Olympics in Los Angeles in a four years time,
which is pretty crazy.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
You did have an Olympic experience. You went up against
Roger Federer. What was that like for you, again off
the major circuit, but representing your country and obviously coming
up against Roger Federer. What was your Olympic experience experience?
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Yeah, it was great. I mean my Olympic experience was
a little bit different because we played it at Wimbledon,
like three weeks after the actual Wimbledon tournament, so it
was it was unique in the sense that you got to,
of course, where your country's colors at the All England Club,
which you know it's all white there, but in the
Olympics were held there, you got to wear your country colors.
That was That was awesome. I lost in the round
(05:39):
that you really kind of don't want to lose in
the quarterfinals because people don't remember that at all. And
I had had a great tournament, played really well. Lost
to Roger. No shame in that, of course, but I
just missed out on two chances to play for a medal.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
The Cincinnati Open. Again, we kind of talked off air
it was a little bit it's shaky for a while,
and if the tournament was gonna stay in Cincinnati it is.
It gets underway August eleventh, runs through the nineteenth. I'm
always wild by the tournament itself because so many nations
are coming together and joining each other in Mason. Personally,
(06:15):
I used to hate the tournament because I knew from
a football standpoint, when the tournament came around, it was
time to go to a day's which was miserable for football.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
So I grew up.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I grew up hating because I'd see billboards and I'm like, man,
I know it's time for football. Here come two a
days now that I'm not playing. It's one of my
favorite events of the year, not just what happens on
the court, but the merchandise, the food, the drinks, the atmosphere,
the music. Unless you're up there, you don't get to
see it, and you get to be a part of
something really cool. This Saturday, it's Community Day up at
(06:48):
the Cincinnati Open. Tell me a little bit more about that,
and tell me who you get to jump on the
court with.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Well. Yeah, so the new tournament owner of Bin Navarro,
He's gonna do a lot of amazing things for the event.
I mean, obviously he kept the event in Cincinnati. He's
gonna build this tournament. He's he's investing in the tournament
like in a big, big way. So this tournam is
only going to continue to get better, which is pretty
remarkable because it's already one of the best tournaments we
have all year. And so he's put together a community day.
(07:15):
This is the Saturday before the tournament. There's not much
going on yet. There's there's some there's some qualifying, but
the main draw is is not is not starting it
at uh at at that stage. And so I'm gonna
be a part of lucky enough to of a doubles
match with my partner being one of the greatest players
of all time, Andrea Agassi, and we're growing up against
Marty Fish and Andy Rotic, who are no strangers in
(07:37):
the Cincinnati tournament as well. So that's the doubles match
is gonna be put on. But it's not just that.
There's a lot of activation going on with meet and
greeting with people, with sponsors and whatnot. So they're just
a great way to to drum up a lot of
excitement just a few days before the tournament starts. So
that's what I'm gonna be a part of. On Saturday
and looking forward to that because you know, I'm not
competing in the in the big, big, big, big event
(07:59):
this year, but I'm gonna be a small part of
the Cincinnati Open this year.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
I see that Lindsey Davenport, Uh, Stephanie Graff are gonna
be helped commentating the match. When you go into a
match like that, is it is it you're you're doing?
Obviously it's it's it's for a great cause because the
proceeds are gonna benefit Cincinnati Children's Hospital, So that's awesome
in itself. How do you navigate a match like that
where you're not going to you know, a thousand miles
(08:23):
an hour, but you still want to go out there
and obviously have some fun. And I'm sure, deep down
inside still beat Andy Rollick and Marty Fish.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Yeah. Well, look like I know Andy and Marty a
lot better than I know Andre, So I don't know
how Andre is gonna take it out there. If he's
gonna really want to win this double match, we'll see.
I always like trying to beat Marty and Andy. You know,
I can just one of those things. I can give
them crap it out after the fact that if we
do win the match, But I think first for us,
we're gonna have a lot of fun. It's not gonna
be gonna be that serious. We're gonna try to get
(08:53):
the crowd involved and hopefully they have a good time
and just really enjoy everything that we're gonna be put
putting out there on the court again.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
The Cincinnatty Open his back getting underway August eleventh through
the nineteenth. Tickets are still available Cincinnati Open dot com.
That's the best place to grab tickets. For the community
Day on Saturday, you can see John Isner, Andre Agacy
versus Andy Rotick, and Marty Fish. Tickets are starting at
ten dollars proceedure benefit in the Children's Hospital. All really
cool stuff. John, thank you so much for the time.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Man.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
I look forward to having you back in Cincinnati and
enjoy the time at the Cincinnati Open.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Man, I appreciate it. Tony, thanks thanks for having me on. Then.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Absolutely that is John Isner. This is since he three
sixty on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. Plenty more
still to come. Right after this
Welcome back sincey three sixty ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
As we roll along here on another awesome day here
on CINCY three to sixty. Let's take a break from
the football side of things real quick, because there's a
lot going on upcoming in Cincinnati at the Cincinnati Open.
You knew it formally as the Western and Southern Open,
but they have some really cool stuff coming up starting Saturday.
(00:22):
The tournament is back, It is staying in Cincinnati, and
we have a very special guest joining us now to
talk a little bit about that tournament. Fourteen four hundred
and seventy aces in his career has had some great
moments in Cincinnati as well. John Isner is with us
right now. John, what's up?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Not much appreciate you having me on. Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Look, before I get into this, can can you take
me back? Because you're a big Carolina Panther fan. Do
you remember the Do you remember the excitement that you
probably had in twenty ten when the Panthers went back
in the quarterback position in the sixth round after drafting
Jimmy Clawson and what and grabbed me as well. You
had to be extremely excited about the future.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Then absolutely absolute stud at out of Cincinnati. It was
a great, great draft of the Panthers for sure.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Look, you have had a very storied career, an awesome career,
so many cool moments, so many cool matches. Now that
you've put the racket down for the most part, what
are you up to now?
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, well, yeah, put the racket down, so you know,
you try to figure out what's next. I've done some
TV and get in the sports media like yourself, Tony
a bit, and that's been fun, you know, the first
and foremost, Like you know, got a like a big
and healthy family, which is very fortunate to have to
spend a lot of time with the kids and do
(01:44):
a lot of stuff in Dallas where I live right now,
and so just trying to figure it out. But certainly
certainly different when you do something for so long, really
twenty years, I did the same thing pretty much each
and every day, and all of a sudden that's over.
It changes your life pretty drastically, and it's a bit
of an adjustment something that I think I'm getting better at.
Right now.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
I want to get into what you have coming up
this weekend here in Cincinnati, But first, the Cincinnati Tournament
in itself. Now, the Cincinnati Open twenty thirteen. I remember,
I'm there, You're playing in the finals of the tournament
against Rafael Nadal. You had so many great matches here
in Cincinnati. I want to ask you what was it
(02:25):
about this tournament because obviously it's not on the level
of the majors, but yet year in and year out,
the top players from across the world, men's and women's
make it a point to come to Cincinnati. Why is that.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Well, look, it's one of the biggest events we have
on tour, of course, the outside of the Grand Slams,
and it's two weeks before the US Open, so everyone
wants to get sharp, you know, going into New York,
especially the top players. It's why Roger Feederer, Novak, these
guys never ever missed the Cincinnati tournaments. It's a great
way to get their game in shape for the US
(02:58):
op And on top of that, it's a huge tournament
and be a plane for life playing for a lot
of prize money, a lot of points, I mean points.
Most importantly is it's our currency on the ATP Tour.
So just a great event to be at in a
town supports it so well. The atmosphere is always absolutely incredible.
It's just a fantastic place to play. And it's a
little bit low key obviously in Mason compared to New York.
(03:19):
It's not the hustle and bustle of New York, and
I think players appreciate that. New York it's just hecktic.
There's so much going on it can kind of wear
you us so oftentimes in New York, can find yourself
being dis exhausted when you get on the court to
play your first matters. This is so much going on
in that city.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Side note real quick before we get to Saturday, Novak
Djokovich what he was able to do. He's in the Olympics.
He wins a gold medal, and you immediately saw the
passion and what winning a gold medal meant for him
on understanding the ins and outs of how rigorous this
is on your body. To see him do this so
quickly after having the knee injury, it has to be
(03:56):
even more amazing. On so many amazing parts of his career,
but seeing that gold medal is what he's been through
from an injury standpoint, had to be amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Well yeah, I mean well, and now he's pretty much
like he has completed tennis. It's literally not a tournament
he hasn't won before. And that was the one event
he didn't have a gold metal he didn't win. And
the men singles at the Olympics. Of course, someone comes
around every four years. We don't had that many opportunities.
And prior to this year he called his shot. He said,
(04:26):
the one tournament I want to I want to win
is the Olympics. That's my number one goal. And he
went out and did it. It's it's pretty incredible. The
best player of all time that like it can't be
argued anymore if you look at the numbers and just
what a story. I mean, a lot of question marks
with his knee. And he loses in the finals alcorat
that Wimbledon, like pretty comprehensively, then comes back a few
(04:46):
weeks later and beats him at the final of the Olympics.
That's amazing to see. And what he's doing at thirty
seven is is unheard of, really, and he has he's
not slowing down anytimes too. I think he said the
other day he might he would you would love to
play the Olympics in Los Angeles in a four years time,
which is pretty crazy.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
You did have an Olympic experience. You went up against
Roger Federer. What was that like for you, again off
the major circuit, but representing your country and obviously coming
up against Roger Federer. What was your Olympic experience experience?
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Yeah, it was great. I mean my Olympic experience was
a little bit different because we played it at Wimbledon,
like three weeks after the actual Wimbledon tournament, so it
was it was unique in the sense that you got to,
of course, where your country's colors at the All England Club,
which you know it's all white there, but in the
Olympics were held there, you got to wear your country colors.
That was That was awesome. I lost in the round
(05:39):
that you really kind of don't want to lose in
the quarterfinals because people don't remember that at all. And
I had had a great tournament, played really well. Lost
to Roger. No shame in that, of course, but I
just missed out on two chances to play for a medal.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
The Cincinnati Open. Again, we kind of talked off air
it was a little bit it's shaky for a while,
and if the tournament was gonna stay in Cincinnati it is.
It gets underway August eleventh, runs through the nineteenth. I'm
always wild by the tournament itself because so many nations
are coming together and joining each other in Mason. Personally,
(06:15):
I used to hate the tournament because I knew from
a football standpoint, when the tournament came around, it was
time to go to a day's which was miserable for football.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
So I grew up.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I grew up hating because I'd see billboards and I'm like, man,
I know it's time for football. Here come two a
days now that I'm not playing. It's one of my
favorite events of the year, not just what happens on
the court, but the merchandise, the food, the drinks, the atmosphere,
the music. Unless you're up there, you don't get to
see it, and you get to be a part of
something really cool. This Saturday, it's Community Day up at
(06:48):
the Cincinnati Open. Tell me a little bit more about that,
and tell me who you get to jump on the
court with.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Well. Yeah, so the new tournament owner of Bin Navarro,
He's gonna do a lot of amazing things for the event.
I mean, obviously he kept the event in Cincinnati. He's
gonna build this tournament. He's he's investing in the tournament
like in a big, big way. So this tournam is
only going to continue to get better, which is pretty
remarkable because it's already one of the best tournaments we
have all year. And so he's put together a community day.
(07:15):
This is the Saturday before the tournament. There's not much
going on yet. There's there's some there's some qualifying, but
the main draw is is not is not starting it
at uh at at that stage. And so I'm gonna
be a part of lucky enough to of a doubles
match with my partner being one of the greatest players
of all time, Andrea Agassi, and we're growing up against
Marty Fish and Andy Rotic, who are no strangers in
(07:37):
the Cincinnati tournament as well. So that's the doubles match
is gonna be put on. But it's not just that.
There's a lot of activation going on with meet and
greeting with people, with sponsors and whatnot. So they're just
a great way to to drum up a lot of
excitement just a few days before the tournament starts. So
that's what I'm gonna be a part of. On Saturday
and looking forward to that because you know, I'm not
competing in the in the big, big, big, big event
(07:59):
this year, but I'm gonna be a small part of
the Cincinnati Open this year.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
I see that Lindsey Davenport, Uh, Stephanie Graff are gonna
be helped commentating the match. When you go into a
match like that, is it is it you're you're doing?
Obviously it's it's it's for a great cause because the
proceeds are gonna benefit Cincinnati Children's Hospital, So that's awesome
in itself. How do you navigate a match like that
where you're not going to you know, a thousand miles
(08:23):
an hour, but you still want to go out there
and obviously have some fun. And I'm sure, deep down
inside still beat Andy Rollick and Marty Fish.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Yeah. Well, look like I know Andy and Marty a
lot better than I know Andre, So I don't know
how Andre is gonna take it out there. If he's
gonna really want to win this double match, we'll see.
I always like trying to beat Marty and Andy. You know,
I can just one of those things. I can give
them crap it out after the fact that if we
do win the match, But I think first for us,
we're gonna have a lot of fun. It's not gonna
be gonna be that serious. We're gonna try to get
(08:53):
the crowd involved and hopefully they have a good time
and just really enjoy everything that we're gonna be put
putting out there on the court again.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
The Cincinnatty Open his back getting underway August eleventh through
the nineteenth. Tickets are still available Cincinnati Open dot com.
That's the best place to grab tickets. For the community
Day on Saturday, you can see John Isner, Andre Agacy
versus Andy Rotick, and Marty Fish. Tickets are starting at
ten dollars proceedure benefit in the Children's Hospital. All really
cool stuff. John, thank you so much for the time.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Man.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
I look forward to having you back in Cincinnati and
enjoy the time at the Cincinnati Open.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Man, I appreciate it. Tony, thanks thanks for having me on. Then.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Absolutely that is John Isner. This is since he three
sixty on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. Plenty more
still to come. Right after this
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