John Isner capturing the Truist Atlanta Open last summer
John Isner on his way to winning the Atlanta Open last summer
SERVING THE DALLAS DALLASOPEN OPEN SERVINGUP UP THE
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By Holly Haber
DALLAS HAS A LONG AND STORIED HISTORY IN PROFESSIONAL TENNIS
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D A L L A S H OT E L M A G A Z I N E
rofessional tennis returns to Big D for the first time in 33 years with the Dallas Open men’s tournament running Feb. 6-13 at the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex at Southern Methodist University. One of only 10 ATP Tour events in the U.S. and the only one held indoors, Dallas Open will feature more than 60 top players, including hometown star John Isner, and a total purse of $770,000. Isner holds records for the fastest serve ever — a phenomenal 157.2 mph — and
the second most aces on the ATP Tour (12,000-plus). He is acting as the Dallas Open’s host and envisions himself eventually working for the tournament. “I moved to Dallas four years ago and I had no idea of the love that this town has for the sport of tennis, but right away I saw firsthand the passion for tennis that’s here,” he says. “I immersed myself in the community, and from that point on I thought that Dallas should host a top-level tennis event.” The tourney will feature 28 main draw singles
players, 32 doubles players and 16 qualifiers. It was previously held as the New York Open at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. Producer GF Sports & Entertainment, which also manages the Truist Atlanta Open and other events, says the Dallas Open will have a cozier atmosphere than was possible in the vast Nassau Coliseum. “By coming here to SMU and Dallas, we can create an intimate atmosphere that is a tremendous experience for fans and for players,” says tournament director Peter
