Mental boost helps Isner peak at 33

WASHINGTON: John Isner is playing the best tennis of his career at age 33, thanks in part to marriage and impending fatherhood plus long-lasting confidence after winning the Miami Open.

The 33-year-old American produced his deepest Grand Slam run to the Wimbledon semi-finals, reaching a career-high eighth in the world rankings, and began his hardcourt campaign last week with a fifth Atlanta title in six seasons.

Isner reached this week’s ATP Washington Open, where he burst onto the scene 11 years ago, hungry to extend the greatest campaign of his career as the US Open approaches.

“It does feel that way,” Isner said on Tuesday of this being his best season. “I’ve had a lot of good years the past eight years. This year, I’ve been more consistent with my results.

“I think this is the best I’m playing on the court in all aspects. I feel like I’m playing my best tennis ever. I’m 33 right now and I’m playing my best tennis ever.”

Isner married Madison McKinley last December and the couple is expecting their first child, a daughter, in late September.

“It has definitely settled me down,” Isner said. “It has made me worry less about tennis — it had consumed me the last six, seven, eight years. It was the most important thing I had going. Now it’s not. It takes some pressure off. “Starting a family, raising a very nice polite daughter, that’s what’s the most important thing going on for me.”

On the court, Isner cited a rare doubles title last March at Indian Wells alongside American Jack Sock that helped him rebound from a 1-6 singles start to the year.

“I was able to win the doubles with Jack and able to get that winning feeling back. Even though it was doubles, you can’t duplicate that feeling,” Isner said.

“I carried that into Miami and that’s when the season started. To my credit, I didn’t lift off the gas. I kept my foot down and kept working and carried that through the rest of the season.”

Isner defeated Germany’s third-ranked Alexander Zverev in the Miami Open final for the biggest title of his career and the memory of that championship fortnight has served him well in the months that followed.