In the heated moments after difficult losses, there is always a tendency for a player to want to let off some steam, and John Isner did just that after his 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-7(6) loss to fellow American Steve Johnson in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday evening.
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Isner, relegated to a not quite ready for primetime showcourt, also known as “Grandstand 1,” due to the fact that the tournament’s international television partners wanted other matches in the key time slots on the Citi Open’s main stadium, was not thrilled.
“I didn’t like playing out there,” Isner, a two-time finalist at the event, said. “I just didn’t think I deserved to play on that court. Simple as that.”
Instead, top-seeded Tomas Berdych, second-seeded Milos Raonic and fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori spent the day beating American opponents on stadium court.
Johnson was sympathetic to Isner’s plight, and felt that the top American deserves better playing in an event in his home country. "I thought it was kind of a bummer, because [Isner] deserves to be on the big stage,” he was quoted as saying in this piece by the Associated Press. “But I'm not in control of that."
The perceived snub was met with mixed reactions on social media. Some feel that Isner, seeded fifth in the tournament, should just shut up and play:
Others believe that the top American (whether Isner or another player) should receive the backing of tournament directors in his home country:
Would it have made a difference? According to the AP, Isner was given the option to play on the Stadium court, but he was asked to choose between playing the last match, starting at approximately 10 PM, or playing earlier on the smaller court.
Apparently it’s not just the court, it’s the time, too.