John Isner Puts The Atlanta Tennis Championships on the Map

I recall back in the summer of 1985 attending the U.S. Clay Court Championships in Indianapolis and having the pleasure seeing a 17-year old largely unknown German player who had just won Wimbledon a week or so prior.

The U.S. Clay Courts didn't know what they had when Boris Becker committed to the event a couple months before. The tourney was boasting players like Ivan Lendl, Yannick Noah, and Andres Gomez, but the biggest draw turned out be the red headed Becker. There was standing room only at all his matches and the practice courts were 4 deep watching him hit with his coach Bob Brett.

Tournament officials got creative and sold "I'm a Boris Becker Backer" t-shirts at all the clothing stands. They sold out by midweek. The U.S. Clay Courts that year went from being a nice little quiet summer tournament in the United States, to an event the world was watching.

Much the same will take place this July in Atlanta, although on a little smaller scale. Atlanta is hosting a ATP 250 event for the first time in years and former University of Georgia player and marathon match participant John Isner will be playing.

It will be Isner's first appearance since his Wimbledon fame and I expect the fans to turn to support the likeable giant. The press will no doubt turn out as well. I'm not talking about local radio stations and newspapers, I'm talking about the world's tennis press and sports media from all over the country.

Since The Atlanta Tennis Championships doesn't have a major corporate sponsor, there probably won't be a top-10 player in attendance, but Isner will be there and I'm sure everyone at the USTA Southern Section who's running the event will play up this angle to the fullest extent. Besides standing ovations, honor him with a cake, give away fans with 70-68 printed on them, and have cardboard cutouts of the scoreboard from Wimbledon with the Isner vs.Mahut final score on it that fans can get there picture taken with. Play up the Isner factor as much as possible.

This is now a tournament not only fans in Atlanta and the South are looking forward to, it will get ink all over the country. And another thing, if there is a wildcard spot you think is going to be available, maybe instead of awarding it to Donald Young, see if you can get Nicholas Muhut to come over to The States a little early to play. He deserves it, and a Isner vs. Mahut quarter or semi-final would be great for tennis fans.