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ATP World Tour: John Isner wins 2017 Hall of Fame Open

By Maxwell Ogden

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 04: John Isner of The United States celebrates victory after the Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Taylor Fritz of The United States on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 4, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 04: John Isner of The United States celebrates victory after the Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Taylor Fritz of The United States on day two of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 4, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) /
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American tennis star John Isner has ended his personal ATP World Tour title drought by completing his run to the 2017 Hall of Fame Open title.

The American tennis scene is quietly being revitalized by a resilient group of veterans and an intriguing crop of young talent. While the Grand Slam drought may remain, the ATP World Tour has witnessed a number of American players experience resurgent success in 2017.

That continued on Sunday, July 23, when American standout John Isner defeated Matthew Ebden to win the 2017 Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open.

This marks Isner’s first ATP World Tour title since 2015—the end to an uncharacteristically long personal drought.

Isner, 32, won every set he played during his dominant run to the Hall of Fame Open title. He defeated Sam Groth in the second round by a count of 6-2, 6-4; defeated Dennis Novikov 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals; and took out fellow American Bjorn Fratangelo 6-2, 6-4 in the semifinals.

It was a more challenging match in the final, but Isner prevailed with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) victory over Ebden to win his first title of 2017.

With the US Open approaching, this could be an excellent confidence-builder for Isner after his early exit from Wimbledon.

Isner was shockingly upset by Dudi Sela, ranked No. 72 in the world, in the second round at Wimbledon. It was the continuation of a difficult season for Isner, who hadn’t reached the final of any event he’d appeared in during the 2017 calendar year.

His luck changed in Newport, Rhode Island, as arguably the best server on the ATP World Tour aced his way to a title.

The title in Newport was Isner’s third, which displays borderline dominance at the event. With his win at the 2017 Hall of Fame Open, Isner, currently ranked No. 21 in the world, projects to make the leap back into the Top 20 on the ATP World Tour rankings.

That improved ranking and general boost in morale could help Isner, who reached the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows in 2011, at the 2017 US Open.

Must Read: The future of American men's tennis is brighter than it seems

John Isner is gaining momentum at the perfect time. The question is: Can the American serve maestro turn this championship glory into another run at the US Open?

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