Monday is the start of the US Open in New York, but for the past week, the eyes of tennis fans around
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.