The two most prolific tournaments of John Isner’s career are the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport and the BB&T Atlanta Open.
An amazing nine of his 14 lifetime ATP titles have come at those two events (four in Newport, five in Atlanta). Isner has completed the Newport-Atlanta double in back-to-back weeks once (2017) and he will be looking to do it again after triumphing on the Newport grass this weekend. The world No. 15 battled back from a break down in the first set to beat Alexander Bublik 7-6(2), 6-3.
“My very first ATP Tour event was here in 2007 and I didn’t enjoy the courts that much back then because I didn’t know how to play on them,” Isner commented. “To say that I’ve won this event four times isn’t something I thought would be possible.”
Only in Atlanta is Isner better than he is at the site of the tennis Hall of Fame, owner of an incredible 31-4 record with titles in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018 plus three runner-up finishes and one semifinal performance.
Isner’s 2019 opener could come against none other than Bublik, although the entertaining Kazak would first half to get past Reilly Opelka in round one. Also in the top quarter of the draw are Radu Albot, Tennys Sandgren, and Radu Albot. That half also features Alex de Minaur, Frances Tiafoe, and Bernard Tomic.
Jack Sock is making his comeback from injury and finds himself in a tough bottom quarter with Taylor Fritz, Ugo Humbert, and Grigor Dimitrov. The bracket’s bottom half is also home to Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Jordan Thompson, and Alexei Popyrin.
[polldaddy poll=10368563]
who ya got?
John Isner or someone who can serve better