Atlanta tennis stop a success; will it come back?

Dale Queen and his employees worked nearly a 110-hour week. Their fingers bore the persistent calluses that athletic tape and liquid bandages couldn't prevent.

None of that mattered, Queen said. His tennis racquet stringers held a big role in professional tennis’ return to Atlanta.

“This has definitely been one of the greatest experiences I’ve had, stringing for the top pros now,” said Queen, owner of Your Serve tennis specialty stores. "I’ve been doing this for 34 years and I can’t say how great it is to have pro tennis back in Atlanta.”

The Chamblee native's words echoed the sentiments of most fans regarding the Atlanta Tennis Championships, the city’s first pro tennis tournament since 2001.

Combating the perception that Atlanta was a big tennis town that couldn’t support an event, nearly 40,000 people descended on the Atlanta Athletic Club for a week highlighted by the presence of Andy Roddick and University of Georgia alumnus John Isner.

The tournament enjoyed sold-out crowds of 4,400 on two occasions, despite on-court temperatures that were often times unbearable.

“People have come out in oppressive hot weather and they’ve watched each qualifying match,” said J. Wayne Richmond, Olympus U.S. Open Series general manager. “The tennis family here has embraced this event, which we thought was possible. They still managed to exceed our expectations.”

But now that the UGA-faithful bulldog barks have been silenced and the paper fans have been retired, it is worth asking: Was the tournament an overall success and one that could be replicated again?

“I was really shocked that there hasn't been a tournament here in the last nine years,” Isner said. “It's kind of crazy to think about, considering the player participation in this city. Now that it's back, I think it's here to stay.”

The serendipitous participation of Isner and Roddick could not be understated in contributing to the first-year tournament’s success. As Isner advanced to the tournament finals, he remained the crowd favorite, drawing barks, cheers and signs from loyal followers.

Roddick's late entry, which was announced shortly before the tournament, spiked a surge in ticket sales within hours that matched the average daily sales from the first four days of the week. The next day, the tournament sold 2,000 tickets.

Doubles winner Rajeev Ram of Indianapolis was well acquainted with the tournament prior to its move to Atlanta. He competed in the Indianapolis Tennis Championships seven times before USTA Southern bought the rights to the tournament. After witnessing the crowd support, he came to one conclusion.

“It’s here for a reason,” Ram said. “It should be here.”

Oakes added that fan support has been matched by player support, giving him confidence for drawing strong fields in the future.

On Monday, Oakes was approached by Mardy Fish, who had just one question: What can I do to help?

While Roddick was complimentary of the first-year tournament and the enthusiastic crowd support, he said the reality is that other circumstances will dictate whether he returns to Atlanta.

“I certainly enjoyed my time here,” he said. “I really enjoyed Atlanta. It's not so much about an event. It’s about a schedule. This year, with Wimbledon going shorter, it was a perfect opportunity for me to get matches. It has zero to do with how much I enjoy playing here, which is a lot. It has everything to do with what I feel I need to do in the moment, whether I need matches or not."