Monday is the start of the US Open in New York, but for the past week, the eyes o
The highest ranked American tennis player in the world returned to center court at the Winston-Salem Open last night. The expectations were high for the two-time champion.
After three days of qualifying rounds, the main draw at the Winston-Salem Open got under way this weekend. Dozens of the world's top professional tennis players are competing for ATP tour points, and a total purse of $625,000.
But on Sunday, it was a first round match featuring a youngster ranked No. 585 in the ATP rankings that drew the largest crowd.
For John Isner, the Winston-Salem Open is as much a homecoming as a tennis tournament. The Greensboro native has won the tournament twice, in 2011 and 2012.
David Ford has played tennis since he was 7 years old, and he's been a fan ever since. So, the arrival of an Association of Tennis Professionals (or ATP) tour event in his hometown was a dream-come-true. And, as David quickly found out, it was also an opportunity to learn more about the sport he loves. It turns out that the tour has changed a lot since the Open Era began back in 1968. It allowed amateurs and pros to enter tournaments and actually make a living off their earnings.