By John Breech/STAFF

When Andy Roddick signed up to play in the Atlanta Tennis Championships two weeks ago, organizers were probably drooling at the thought of one thing: a July 25 Roddick-Isner final.

For a first-year tournament that’s trying to make a name for itself, having Roddick – the biggest name in American tennis – on the court with UGA grad John Isner, who became an overnight sensation after his 183-game match at Wimbledon, would be a thing of dreams.

After yesterday afternoon’s action, the ATC’s dream match up is inching closer and closer to reality. Despite an on-the-court temperature that reached 147 degrees, Isner was able to outlast Kevin Anderson in a 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-3 win. The victory vaulted Isner into today’s final where he will play the winner of last night’s Roddick/Mardy Fish match which was completed after the Beacon went to press.

For Isner, the road to the Atlanta finals was a long and hot one. On Wednesday, in his first match since Wimbledon, the UGA grad was almost upset by qualifier Gilles Muller in the second round (as a top 4 seed, Isner received a first round bye). Isner trailed Muller 7-6 in the third set tiebreaker and was a point away from being sent home. However, the world’s 19th ranked player calmly won the next two points and then won the match when Muller’s backhand volley went wide right to give Isner the 3-set win.

Isner was pretty excited about getting his first victory since his marathon win at Wimbleon. “This win was huge,” the 6-foot-9 star said after the match. “Maybe one of the biggest of the year because I want to get some matches under my belt before going onto D.C., the masters series events and the U.S. Open.”

After his suspenseful second round match, Isner was able to breeze through Friday’s quarterfinal in under an hour with a 6-1, 6-2 win over fellow American Michael Russell. After the Russell match, Isner was talking about the relentless heat, “It’s brutal when you’re out there and you can’t get a break from the sun, you can’t get a breeze out there, it’s really tough.”

The ATC is played on hardcourts and coincidentally, Isner won his first ATP event six months ago on the hardcourts of Auckland, New Zealand.

For a Roddick-Isner final to occur, Roddick had to knock off good friend and fellow American Mardy Fish last night. Fish and Roddick often play doubles together in ATP events.

Roddick advanced to Saturday night’s semifinal by winning his first two matches in three sets (Majors are a best-of-five sets, the ATC and all other tournaments are a best-of-three). On Thursday, Roddick defeated American journeyman Rajeev Ram 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-3. On Friday Roddick came back and beat seventh seed Xavier Malisse 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Malisse was the same person Roddick beat in 2001 when Roddick won his first ATP tour event, which was also played in Atlanta.

Today’s championship match will be televised on ESPN 2 and will begin following the 12:30 p.m. doubles final. However, the match will not begin before 3 p.m. If you can’t catch the 3 p.m. showing of the final, the match will be replayed at 8 p.m. on the Tennis Channel.

*Update* Fish knocked out Roddick in Saturday's semifinal 7-6(5), 6-3. Isner and Fish will play today at 3 p.m. in the finals of the Atlanta Tennis Championships.