The tennis player John Isner is tall. Very tall. 6 feet 10 inches, to be exact. Which means that traveling on a plane to tournaments around the world, which the Dallas resident does roughly 11 months a year, can be a daunting task. And the biggest annual challenge comes every January, when the Australian Open is played, requiring Mr. Isner, who lost in the first round this year, as well as many other American tennis players, to spend many hours in the air on their way to Melbourne.

Ahead of the Open, Mr. Isner talked about his travel strategies. Over time he’s learned not only how to keep his legs stretched but also ensure his body is in top shape for the tournament ahead. The following is an edited version of the conversation.

What kind of traveler are you? When you go on vacation, are you looking for adventure, relaxation, culture — all three?

Usually I’m traveling for tennis, so the most important thing for me is to not get jet lag. Over the years it’s stopped being an issue. What I do, the first very thing once I’ve gotten settled in a hotel, is break a sweat. You have to sweat it out; the airplane is too gross. I’ll practice tennis or go to the gym. If I don’t have time I’ll use the sauna or steam room. I used to do the opposite. There was one time I flew back to Dallas from Asia, and I started partying a bit. I was so messed up with the time that I didn’t feel that tired. But it was the absolute worst thing I could have done. I felt awful for a week.