John Isner saved 3 match point to defend his Winston-Salem Open title, defeating Tomas Berdych 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(9).
“It’s a great feeling, ” said Isner. “Both my titles this year are the exact same titles I won last year. Defending a title is not easy. There’s pressure on you coming into the tournament so I think for me to do that, at both Newport and here in Winston-Salem, it should help me a lot going forward in the coming years. I’m absolutely thrilled.”
“It was a very good match, an incredible atmosphere. It was a lot of fun to play out there. There were certainly some tense times all throughout the match. At times probably wasn’t the prettiest of tennis, but I was able to gut it out and am very, very proud of that.”
“Last year it served me very well. I won here and made the [US Open] quarter-finals, lost to Andy Murray in a very tough match. I’m heading to New York filled with confidence. I’ve played very well since my first round loss at Wimbledon. I’ve only lost three matches, so I’m heading into New York feeling good about myself.”
Berdych was gracious in defeat. “I hope it’s going to be enough time to put this match from my mind and keep all those matches before – and those before were pretty good,” noted Berdych. “Even this one was not bad until the end. It just happens. I won a couple of matches, which was the goal and the [reason] why I wanted to come here. I made it pretty successful, but still one I was missing, so it will take some time. Next week, already Monday or Tuesday, I’m starting in New York so it’s not much time to think on the past but to be ready for what’s happening there.”