Stars Abandon Canada? Memphis Stories + Washington Preview | EP 199

**Steve Johnson** (0:00)
All right, everyone, on today's episode of Nothing Major, we are gonna break down the big show in Memphis, the three of us did a couple of days ago, as well as we're gonna react to some news about the Canadian Masters and break down the last, hopefully the last two Clay Court events of the year. So with that, let's get into the show.

**SPEAKER_2** (0:17)
Jack, Jones, Stevie and Sam got close a few times, never won a slam, Nothing Major.

**Steve Johnson** (0:23)
All right, everyone, on today's episode, we have Sam Querrey, John Isner, myself, the team at SIFT and Charlie Fox as well. A big weekend, boys, a big weekend. We had a great couple of days in Memphis at the new Women's event.
We all survived, most importantly, we had some decent tennis out there. What was your thoughts about the show in Memphis, Sam?

**Sam Querrey** (0:48)
I thought it was pretty good, actually. I thought our level was high. It was humid as can be. Memphis right now is 94 degrees with 94 percent humidity. We played a, you guys played a mixed doubles, we played a men's doubles, we played a singles, we played a Love 40 challenge, but it was fun. Ticket sales were plentiful.
People were excited for the event and I had a good time.

**Steve Johnson** (1:12)
Yeah, I thought it was a super good event. I mean, we were there. I don't know if I've seen rain as hard as we did about two hours prior to us starting, the thunder, the lightning. And then even yesterday on Sunday, they had to stop the tournament for many, you know, for a few hours because of a heat delay. It was like 120 degrees on the court. So luckily we didn't have to play yesterday, but there was a lot of back and forth talk, a lot of trash talk between the two of you guys about a big singles match.
It got modified a little bit, a rematch of the 2010 Memphis final. John was very confident about his abilities. I think the format may have hurt John. We kind of shuffled things around, but John, take us through that singles match. Any thoughts? Are you?

**John Isner** (1:52)
I was tired. That's what it would be.

**Steve Johnson** (1:53)
This is an issue.
We changed the format. The singles was supposed to be first. I took John. I was going to take John as the winner there because of the, just, I think he was just more, he was more into it, but playing three sets in a row.

**John Isner** (2:07)
I riled Sam up enough that I got him really into it.

**Steve Johnson** (2:10)
Yeah, you did. So that's what happened. You kind of hurt your own chances.

**John Isner** (2:14)
We played abbreviated sets to four, so it doesn't really count to four. I was all over you in that three, two game. You're trying to serve it out.
Yeah, you were. Yeah, three break points, but in typical John fashion, I don't convert any of them. And I lost four, too.

**Steve Johnson** (2:30)
So, you did play one good point. I don't know how you lost that point. The 15-40 point I should have won. You hit that stab lob.

**John Isner** (2:38)
Yeah. That was a total zone, dude. You hit a bad drop shot, like bad enough to where I could get to it. And I hit like a chip backhand, like with interest, like at your shoelaces, and you pick it up and you lob me.
Yeah. It was a good opportunity to hit a tweener, but I don't know how to hit a tweener. I didn't try. It was, but it was fun. I mean, Sam, I thought your level was good. Congratulations to you.

**Sam Querrey** (3:07)
Thank you.

**John Isner** (3:07)
Disappointed I lost 4-2, but it was, as Sam said, it was like ungodly humid out there. I mean, it was like, you could just feel, it was one of those nights, you know, you just feel it in the air. Yeah.

**Steve Johnson** (3:19)
Can we just, can we pivot to the doubles real quick? So Sam and I played doubles against John and one of the incoming freshmen for Memphis, Alfie King. John has been really talking about his return game since for the last like 16 months. And I will say I have poo pooed it, I've scoffed at it, I've thought nothing could come of this. I've never seen anyone return the way John Isner did in this doubles match than watching Novak. It was eerily similar, I was very annoyed, but John was hitting clean return winners from both sides.