RODDICK, ISNER AND SOCK TO PLAY ATLANTA TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Atlantic Station Also Selected as the Tournament Site in Multi-Year Deal
ATLANTA, December 19 – The Atlanta Tennis Championships announced today 2003 US Open
champion Andy Roddick, 2010-11 ATC finalist John Isner and US Open mixed doubles champion Jack
Sock have committed to play in the tournament, which is the first ATP World Tour event of the 2012 US
Open Series.
In related news, the ATC and Atlantic Station have signed a multi-year deal that will bring tennis into the
central area of the city July 14-22.
Roddick, who played in the inaugural ATC in 2010, has won 30 ATP titles and was the dominant
American player of the last decade. He also reached three Wimbledon and one US Open finals between
2004 and 2009. In 2001 he won his first ATP World Tour title in Atlanta. He is currently ranked No. 14 in
the world.
“I have some great memories of playing in Atlanta where I won my very first ATP Word Tour event,”
Roddick said. “To return and have an opportunity to play in this remarkable new venue will be very
exciting. July summer nights in the middle of Atlanta with the skyline lights towering above along with the
supportive tennis fans that always turn out here will make for one of the best stops on tour. I’m looking
forward to playing in the Atlanta Tennis Championships.”
Isner, who has signed a multi-year deal, is currently ranked No. 18 in the world, a tie for his career-high
ranking. The towering 6’9" player is a former All-American at the University of Georgia and NCAA Division
I champion. With a dominating first serve, he captured tournament wins in 2011 Winston-Salem Open,
2011 Newport and 2010 Auckland. He finished second in the ATP this year with 811 aces. Isner was also
named to the U.S. Davis Cup team for the first time in 2010. Isner is best known for winning the longest
tennis match ever at 2010 Wimbledon. He played Nicholas Mahut in a match that lasted 11 hours and 5
minutes, for a total of 163 games, over the course of three days.
“I’m excited about returning to the Atlanta Tennis Championships and playing in front of the enthusiastic
tennis fans in Georgia,” Isner said. “I’m also looking forward to playing at Atlantic Station, in the heart of
the city, this year and the next several years. The energy and excitement of this unique setting will be fun
for all the players.”
Sock scored his biggest achievement when he and Marietta, Ga.’s Melanie Oudin won the US Open
mixed doubles crown last September which included a victory over the top-ranked team. Sock also won
consecutive titles at the USTA Boys’ 18s National Championships in 2010-11.
Sock said, “It’s a real pleasure to attend the site announcement of Atlantic Station as the new home of the
Atlanta Tennis Championships. This is a spectacular venue with a great ambiance and I can’t wait to
compete here in July. I am truly honored for the tournament to include me in their plans and look forward
to putting out the best performance I can.”
Tournament Director Bob Bryant said, “With the addition of Andy, John and Jack, we are far ahead of
past years in bringing in top talent at such an early date. Atlanta tennis fans watched Andy win his first
title here in 2001 and he’s been a crowd favorite ever since. Georgia Bulldog fans are familiar with Isner’s
140-mph-plus serve and powerful forehand and we expect to see even more impressive and thrilling
tennis from him for many years to come. Jack burst on the scene by winning his first Grand Slam title at
this year’s US Open, playing mixed doubles with Atlanta’s own Melanie Oudin. We’re excited that these
great players will be competing in this year’s tournament.”
About the Atlanta Tennis Championships
Mardy Fish defeated John Isner in 2010 and 2011 to win the first two Atlanta Tennis Championships
singles finals. Other top competitors included Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, James Blake and Robby
Ginepri, of Marietta, Ga. More than 72,000 spectators attended the tournament that offers $531,000 in
prize money annually. The ATP World Tour formally awarded the ATP 250 sanction Atlanta Tennis
Championships to the USTA Southern Section in December 2009. Premium tickets and daily tickets will
be available at a later date.
Visit us on www.atlantatennischampionships.com, www.facebook.com/ATChampionships,
twitter.com/ATChampionships.
About the Olympus US Open Series
The Olympus US Open Series has established itself as a true regular season of hard court tennis, linking
10 summer tournaments to the US Open. Fans follow the action throughout the summer through national
television coverage, culminating each week with back-to-back men’s and women’s finals every Sunday
afternoon. Players battle for $40 million, including a chance for bonus prize money at the US Open. In
2008, Olympus became the first title sponsor of the Series. The Olympus US Open Series is also
supported by sponsors American Express and Evian. Novak Djokovic won the 2011 Olympus US Open
Series men’s title and Serena Williams won the women’s title. In 2007, Roger Federer collected the
biggest paycheck in tennis history -- $2.4 million -- for winning the US Open and the Olympus US Open
Series. In 2005, Kim Clijsters also captured both the US Open and the Series, winning $2.2 million -- the
largest purse in women’s sports history.
About the ATP World Tour
With 62 tournaments in 32 countries, the ATP World Tour showcases the finest male athletes competing
in the world’s most exciting venues. From Australia to Europe and the Americas to Asia, the stars of the
ATP World Tour battle for prestigious titles at Grand Slams (non ATP members), ATP World Tour
Masters 1000, ATP World Tour 500 and ATP World Tour 250 events. At the end of the season the world’s
top 8 ranked singles players and top 8 doubles teams, based on their performance throughout the year,
qualified to compete in the season’s climax - the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Held at London’s O2
arena, the event officially crowned the 2010 ATP World Tour Champion and determined the final South
African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings. For more information, please visit www.ATPWorldTour.com.
About USTA Southern
The USTA is divided into 17 sections, of which USTA Southern is the largest. The 187,000+ USTA
members living in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South
Carolina and Tennessee make up USTA Southern, and account for approximately 25 percent of the total
USTA membership. The section owns and operates the Atlanta Tennis Championships, an ATP World
Tour 250 tournament. A professional staff housed in Norcross, Ga., carries out USTA Southern’s daily
operations, but policy is formed and much of the organization’s work is executed via a board and
committee structure of over 200 volunteers. For more information about the types of programs and
services offered by USTA Southern, visit www.southerntennis.com.
About Atlantic Station
A national example for sustainable mixed-use communities, Atlantic Station (www.atlanticstation.com)
transformed an abandoned industrial site into a thriving entertainment district at the heart of Atlanta’s
vibrant Midtown neighborhood. Opened in 2005, Atlantic Station is home to some of Atlanta’s most
popular restaurants, retailers such as H&M and Dillard’s and leading employers such as Wells Fargo and
BB&T. Atlantic Station each year hosts dozens of community gatherings, charity walks and neighborhood
forums. Susan G. Komen Atlanta Race for the Cure and other events at Atlantic Station have raised more
than $50 million for Atlanta charities since 2005. A national leader in consumer engagement and
technology, Atlantic Station has the No. 6 most followed Twitter feed among U.S. retail centers.
Visit Atlantic Station on Twitter at twitter.com/atlanticstation or on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/AtlanticStation
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For more information, contact:
Ron Cioffi, ATC Media Director, USTA Southern Director of Communications
Office: 770-368-8200 x112, Cell: 770-378-7856, [email protected]
Beth Carter, Marketing Inspirations
Office: 678-866-3572, Cell: 404-660-9887, [email protected]