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London - US No 1 John Isner admits he is becoming increasingly frustrated by his recent slump after an "ugly" defeat against Colombia's Alejandro Falla in the first round at Wimbledon on Monday.
Big-serving Isner was expected to mount a strong run on the fast grass courts of the All England Club, but instead he blew a two sets to one lead as Falla, ranked 73rd in the world, clinched a shock 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-5 victory.
The 27-year-old also crashed out of the recent French Open in disappointing fashion after losing to France's Paul-Henri Mathieu in the second round.
But being beaten by Falla, despite serving 31 aces, was especially dispiriting for the world No 10, who is determined to be known for more than just his victory over Nicolas Mahut in the longest match in tennis history at Wimbledon in 2010.
"I'm just not performing. It's just ugly right now," Isner said. "I've taken some steps back of late. It's disappointing.
"I'm just very frustrated right now and just wish I could play a little better at the important times of a match.
"I felt like I should have won it in the fourth set and that hurt me quite a lot.
"After being so close to winning in four, I just mentally got even more clouded and more frustrated out there.
"I just can't seem to figure things out. I'm my own worst enemy out there. It's all mental for me, and it's pretty poor on my part."
Isner has enjoyed an impressive rise up the world rankings since that incredible 11-hour epic against Mahut, but he has no answers for his current slump, which also includes early exits from the Masters events in Madrid and Rome.
"During the course of a season, there's always highs and lows, and this is quite a bit of a low for me right now," he said.
"I'm not letting things flow. I'm just trying to force things and it's just not going my way and then I'm getting frustrated.
"It's something I need to fix, but I haven't been too solid as of late."
There was more bad news for American tennis as former world No 4 James Blake's slide into obscurity continued with a 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-0, 6-4 defeat against Germany's Benjamin Becker.
Blake, now ranked 91st, was joined at the Wimbledon exit door by compatriot Donald Young, who was beaten 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 by Russian 26th seed Mikhail Youzhny.
Americans will be hoping for better results on Tuesday from 10th seed Mardy Fish, who plays Spain's Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, and three-time finalist Andy Roddick, who faces British wildcard Jamie Baker.
Results on the first day of Wimbledon at the All England Club on Monday (x denotes seeding):
Men
First round
Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
Ryan Harrison (USA) bt Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Benjamin Becker (GER) bt James Blake (USA) 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-0, 6-4
Radek Stepanek (CZE x28) bt Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 6-1, 1-0 - retired
Viktor Troicki (SRB) bt Marcel Granollers (ESP x24) 7-5, 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 2-6, 8-6
Martin Klizan (SVK) bt Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 1-6, 11-9
Jrmy Chardy (FRA) bt Filippo Volandri (ITA) 6-0, 6-1, 1-0 - retired
Juan Monaco (ARG x15) bt Leonardo Mayer (ARG) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5)
Ruben Bemelmans (BEL) bt Carlos Berlocq (ARG) 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/2)
Richard Gasquet (FRA x18) bt Tobias Kamke (GER) 6-2, 6-2, 6-2
Florian Mayer (GER x31) bt Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, 6-3
Philipp Petzschner (GER) bt Blaz Kavcic (SLO) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
Jerzy Janowicz (POL) bt Simone Bolelli (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
Ernests Gulbis (LAT) bt Tomas Berdych (CZE x6) 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4)
Roger Federer (SWI x3) bt Albert Ramos (ESP) 6-1, 6-1, 6-1
Fabio Fognini (ITA) bt Michael Llodra (FRA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5
Michael Russell (USA) bt Adrin Menndez (ESP) 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (9/7)
Julien Benneteau (FRA x29) bt Gilles Muller (LUX) 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4)
Fernando Verdasco (ESP x17) bt Yeu-Tzuoo Wang (TPE) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 7-5
Grega Zemlja (SLO) bt Joshua Goodall (GBR) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4
Xavier Malisse (BEL) bt Marinko Matosevic (AUS) 6-2, 6-2, 7-5
Gilles Simon (FRA x13) bt Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) 6-3, 5-4 - retired
Alejandro Falla (COL) bt John Isner (USA x11) 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-5
Igor Andreev (RUS) bt Oliver Golding (GBR) 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (9/7), 7-5
Denis Istomin (UZB) bt Andreas Seppi (ITA x23) 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 8-6
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS x26) bt Donald Young (USA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3
Inigo Cervantes-Huegun (ESP) bt Flavio Cipolla (ITA) 2-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-2, 6-1
Ryan Sweeting (USA) bt Potito Starace (ITA) 6-2, 2-0 - retired
Janko Tipsarevic (SRB x8) bt David Nalbandian (ARG) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2
Women
First round
Maria Sharapova (RUS x1) bt Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) 6-2, 6-3
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) bt Vesna Manasieva (SRB) 5-7, 6-0, 7-5
Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) bt Virginie Razzano (FRA) 6-2, 6-4
Stphanie Foretz (FRA) bt Monica Niculescu (ROM x29) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Petra Cetkovsk (CZE x23) bt Vania King (USA) 6-4, 6-2
Sloane Stephens (USA) bt Karolna Plskov (CZE) 6-2, 6-2
Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) bt Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) 5-7, 6-3, 2-0 - retired
Sabine Lisicki (GER x15) bt Petra Martic (CRO) 6-4, 6-2
Silvia Soler (ESP) bt Edina Gallovits (ROM) 4-6, 6-4, 10-8
Andrea Hlavckov (CZE) bt Kai-Chen Chang (TPE) 6-1, 6-2
Kim Clijsters (BEL) bt Jelena Jankovic (SRB x18) 6-2, 6-4
Mathilde Johansson (FRA) bt Lesya Tsurenko (UKR) 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) bt Alberta Brianti (ITA) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
Angelique Kerber (GER x8) bt Lucie Hradeck (CZE) 6-4, 6-1
Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x3) bt Magdalna Rybrikov (SVK) 6-3, 6-3
Elena Vesnina (RUS) bt Venus Williams (USA) 6-1, 6-3
Heather Watson (GBR) bt Iveta Benesova (CZE) 6-2, 6-1
Jamie Hampton (USA) bt Daniela Hantuchova (SVK x27) 6-4, 7-6 (7/1)
Nadia Petrova (RUS x20) bt Maria Elena Camerin (ITA) 6-0, 6-2
Tmea Babos (HUN) bt Melanie Oudin (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Anna Tatishvili (GEO) bt Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 6-4, 6-2
Camila Giorgi (ITA) bt Flavia Pennetta (ITA x16) 6-4, 6-3
Li Na (CHN x11) bt Ksenia Pervak (KAZ) 6-3, 6-1
Sorana Cirstea (ROM) bt Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 6-4, 6-1
Lourdes Domnguez (ESP) bt Naomi Broady (GBR) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)
Maria Kirilenko (RUS x17) bt Alexandra Cadantu (ROM) 6-3, 6-1
Peng Shuai (CHN x30) bt Sandra Zaniewska (POL) 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3
Ayumi Morita (JPN) bt Jarmila Gadjosova (AUS) 6-4, 6-3
Arantxa Rus (NED) bt Misaki Doi (JPN) 7-5, 6-3
Samantha Stosur (AUS x5) bt Carla Surez (ESP) 6-1, 6-3
