By John Breech/Staff

When John Isner walked on to Court 18 for his first round match at Wimbledon, he wasn’t exactly a household name. However, five sets, 183 games and 11 hours later, Isner was the No. 1 searched name on Google and the talk of the sports world.

In case you missed it, the former UGA tennis star outlasted Nicolas Mahut of France, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3), 70-68 in an improbable marathon match that spanned three days, saw 216 aces and shattered the record for longest tennis match ever played by four and a half hours. Isner and Mahut spent 11 hours and five minutes on the court; the old record for longevity had been six hours and 33 minutes. The match, which started on June 22, didn’t end until June 24 when Isner hit a winner past Mahut for the five set win.

After being eliminated in the second round, Isner headed back to the states and spent the two weeks following Wimbledon taking complete advantage of his new found fame. The former Bulldog made guest appearances on Good Morning America and he even did a Top 10 list on the Late Show with David Letterman before throwing out the first pitch at a New York Yankees game.

Despite all the media appearances, there is one thing Isner hasn’t done since losing his second round match at Wimbledon: play in a professional tournament.

That will all change on July 19 when Isner heads to the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek for the Atlanta Tennis Championships. The event, which runs from July 19 thru July 25, will be televised on ESPN 2 and the Tennis Channel. The Atlanta Tennis Championships will represent the first ATP event in the area since 2001 when Andy Roddick won what was then called the Galleryfurniture.com Tennis Challenge. That event was also played at the Atlanta Athletic Club.

After going without a tournament in the area for over nine years, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Southern group jumped at the opportunity to bring an ATP event back to North Fulton. The chance presented itself when the Indianapolis tournament lost its main sponsor: RCA. 

Isner – who at 18th is currently the second highest ranked American men’s player in the world – won’t be the only headliner at the event. Former No. 1 and current 31st ranked player Lleyton Hewitt will also be at the tournament along with 24th ranked Marco Baghdatis of Cyprus.

Ironically, Isner – who won an NCAA doubles title in 2004 and a team tennis title at UGA in 2007 -- might not even have the biggest fan contingent at the tournament. That award might go to 71st ranked Robby Ginepri who makes his home in Kennesaw. Other Americans in the 32-man tournament include: Mardy Fish and James Blake.

There will also be a doubles tournament, which will have a 16-team draw. It also might be worth noting that Isner’s Wimbledon opponent, Nicolas Mahut, is not currently scheduled to play in the Atlanta Tennis Championships.
 
For tickets to the Atlanta Tennis Championships, go to www.atlantatennischampionships.com or call 866-840-8822.