Los Angeles: John Isner came from a set down to win his fifth Atlanta Open tennis tournament title here Sunday, with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 win over compatriot Ryan Harrison. This is also the second time in successive years that Isner had beaten Harrison in the final of the tournament.
Isner thus joins Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras as the only American to win an ATP Tour event five times or more.
Isner blasted 21 aces and won 75 percent of his first-serve points in the two-hour match. The eighth-seeded Harrison, who was aiming for his second career ATP title, finished with 10 aces but made three double faults and had his serve broken twice.
The 33-year-old is having one of the best seasons of his career. The American had reached his maiden Grand Slam semifinal earlier in the month with a run to the final four of Wimbledon. However, he will be ranked No.9 in the world when the new rankings come out Monday.
Nadal stays on top
London: Spain’s Rafael Nadal maintained his top spot in ATP rankings while American great Serena Williams who finished runner-up in the recently concluded Wimbledon tennis championship rose a spot to be at No.26 in WTA rankings released Monday. Romania’s Simona Halep maintained the No.1 spot in the women’s section ahead of Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki. In the men’s section Swiss great Roger Federer and Germany’s Alexander Zverev are second and third respectively.
