By John Breech/STAFF

It’s been nine years since the Atlanta-area hosted a men’s professional tennis event and tomorrow, the ATP will return to the area with a roar, thanks in large part to an announcement that only came three days ago.  Last Thursday afternoon, Andy Roddick, the world’s top ranked American, agreed to play in the Atlanta Tennis Championship, which begins tomorrow at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek. Roddick is currently the No. 9 ranked player in the world.

Fittingly, it was Roddick who took home the championship trophy the last time an ATP event was held in the Atlanta area. In April 2001, an 18-year-old Roddick defeated Xavier Malisse in the finals of the Galleryfurniture.com Tennis challenge for his first career tour win. That tournament was played on clay, this week’s Atlanta Tennis Championships will be a played on a hard court surface – the Atlanta Athletic Club hosted both events.

“Bringing the best tennis player in America back to Atlanta, where he won his first ATP World Tour title is extremely exciting,” ATC Tournament Director Bill Oakes said of getting Roddick to come to Johns Creek. “In speaking with Andy, he expressed how happy he is to return to the site of his first victory, a city that is truly devoted to playing and watching tennis.”

Oakes and other ATC officials had been trying to woo Roddick for weeks and with Thursday’s announcement, the effort finally paid off. Each ATP event is allowed to give out three wild card entries. Roddick accepted one of these entries on Thursday which is why he was able to enter the tournament four days before it starts.

Roddick won’t just be playing singles either. The world’s No. 9 player will partner with Mardy Fish and enter the doubles draw.

The Atlanta Tennis Championships is the first event in the U.S. Open series. The series is a 10-tournament run over the course of a month and a half that leads up to the U.S. Open. The Open, played annually in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., begins on Aug. 30.

To get players to participate in the smaller tournaments – such as the Atlanta tourney – the ATP offers $1 million in prize money to the player that earns the most points in the series. By mid-September, a player could conceivably be $2.7 million richer if they earn the most points in the U.S. Open series and win the U.S. Open tournament ($1.7 million goes to the winner).

Roddick won’t be the only big draw in Johns Creek either, as the Beacon reported last week, Wimbledon hero and UGA grad John Isner (No. 19 in the world) will be in the field along with Kennesaw resident Robby Ginepri.  As two of the top four seeds in the field, both Roddick and Isner were rewarded with first round byes meaning each man won’t play their first match until Wednesday. The 28-man field will be officially set after today when the qualifying round finishes this evening.

For tickets to the Atlanta Tennis Championships, go to www.atlantatennischampionships.com or call 866-840-8822. Tournament organizers encourage you to call soon as sales have been brisk since Roddick’s Thursday announcement.