Hailing from Uzbekistan, Denis Istomin, at age 33, has played a lot of tennis, including a shocking upset in 2017, taking down the #1 player in the world. With a high ranking of #33, he has played all the other top players, as well. Denis sat down with Tennis Acumen in Columbus, Ohio. Here's part of that interview with Karl Corbett.
photo (c) 2020 Tennis Acumen | Karl Corbett,
Karl: In terms of friends on the tour, are there people you really bond with, other players you spend time with?
Denis: Yes. Mostly Russian players. I like Andre Golubev. Also, Mikhail Kukushkin.
(Golubev, age 32, from Kazakhstan, reached a career high identical to Istomin at #33. Kukushkin, also from Kazakhstan, reached a career high of #39.)
They are both still around, they are the same age as me, we’ve played a lot of the same tournaments . We have had the same road to the top. You know, right there, those are my good friends. That’s probably all I can say who are friends. Sometimes, you're going to dinner with someone, and you spend some time with them, but you cannot say they are really friends.
Karl: I understand. Is it different when you play against a friend across the net? How do you prepare yourself for that?
Denis: You just don't think about who you play. You just think that you have to win, that it doesn't matter who is standing on the other side of the net. Like I say: when your friend is your opponent, for that game, there is no other answer. It's your opponent and you have to win. Okay, after the match, I can feel bad for my friend, or I can feel bad for myself that I lost to my friend. During and before the match it doesn't matter who is there.
Karl: Today in Columbus, So your doubles partner is going to be your singles opponent tomorrow.
Denis: Yeah, it can change every day. So many times, it’s been like this. I get used to it. Yeah.
READ MORE: Denis talks about beating Novak Djokovic, here: (LINK)
You also may enjoy: Vasek Pospisil talks about Winning Wimbledon, here: (LINK)
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