Isner's stay at Monte Carlo cut short

While Novak Djokovic was deciding to risk his recently injured ankle and play in the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters, John Isner was realizing he had taken a leap too far in trying to play here -- 5,410 miles from the scene of his title-winning triumph in Houston on Sunday.

After winning the first set against Latvia's Ernests Gulbis, Isner lost a bit of potency on his thundering serve and soon found he did not have the legs to chase the drop shots that Gulbis unkindly began delivering with great accuracy at awkward moments.

The sun was starting to set on a gloriously sunny but cool Cote d'Azur day by the time Isner started feeling the effects of a long journey coupled with the effort he had expended in winning his first-ever clay-court title.

"I was starting to feel a little tired after the first set," Isner admitted. "But that's not an excuse. I didn't really serve as big as I usually do and he started playing a lot better as the match went on. At two all or something in the secon

Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/tennis/article_external/isners_stay_at_monte_carlo_cut_short/13413325

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