Watch this six-time Atlanta Open champion take the court this year, ready to claim another title. Photo courtesy of John Isner Images

As the 2022 Atlanta Open approaches, former Georgia Bulldog, philanthropist, dad and six-time champion John Isner anticipates an exciting competition with a side of Southern hospitality.

“I’m lucky.” These are the first words that come to mind when John Isner reflects on his tennis career. For over a decade, Isner has sparked global attention for his proclivity in playing long matches and obtaining impressive rankings. He attributes the start of his love of the sport with his mother’s efforts to drive him to matches, playing D1 at the University of Georgia and, most importantly, a balanced lifestyle. When it comes to the wear and tear, “I think that comes down to discipline and taking care of myself,” says Isner, “and I’ve been able to do that. And because I’ve been able to do that, the results take care of themselves.”

The former Georgia Bulldog always feels at home when he competes at the Atlanta Open each year due to its proximity to UGA. “Being back in the South and being around great people, it feels good to me,” says Isner. As the cherry on top of that home team advantage, he has time to hang out at Atlantic Station, order a sushi roll at Umi and maybe even catch a baseball game at Truist Park.

Despite the demands of the sport, Isner makes sure to have consistency in his family life back in Texas. From attending his daughter’s dance recitals to watching hockey as a family, he makes sure to prevent tennis from monopolizing his life. “I want to be a dad first and foremost,” says Isner. This part of his identity inspired Isner and his wife, Madison, to start the Isner Family Foundation (johnisner.com) with the hope to financially support families with sick children, who, instead of spending time together playing in the backyard, find themselves making memories in the hospital. “We know that there’s a lot of people out there who aren’t as fortunate and who are in situations that they never could have seen themselves being in with their children being sick, and we just try to alleviate the financial burden from that as best as we can.” With so many things going on, it is no wonder that balance is how he gets it all done. July 23-31, Atlantic Station, atlantaopentennis.com