It was a cloudy, overcast and very, very windy afternoon at the new Wake Forest University tennis complex in Winston-Salem, and tournament directors held their collective breath for no rain. But the windy conditions didn't seem to bother the hundreds of tennis fans passing through the fast-moving lines leading into Harold and Mildred Southern Stadium court at the Winston-Salem Open.

Throughout the full week of professional tennis, the fans came to Winston-Salem from all across North Carolina. But for Saturday's big match, most were there to cheer on a big man from the Triad: John Isner.

For 6 foot 9 Greensboro native and current world number 28, the Winston-Salem Open has been a fairy tale ride.

After receiving a first round bye, he won four straight matches against tough competitors from all over the world, including Friday’s semi-finals win over top-seeded American Andy Roddick.

To top it off, Isner's winning streak was in front of his family, friends from the Triad area, and a stadium full of Isner fans. His confidence seemd to grow with each win. But his opponent Julian Bennetau's confidence was at an alltime high as well. The 29 year old Frenchman had won 8 matches, including several qualifying rounds, before arriving to the finals. He was hungry for his first ATP tour win.

As the finals match began it was clear that Isner was not comfortable. The pressure of the expectant fans was great, and the swirling wind gusts bothered Isner. His footwork looked sluggish and even his bread-and-butter first serves were not landing. Meanwhile Bennatau seemed unphased by the conditions, and he went on to win the first set 6-4.

But as he has done so often throughout the summer and during this tournament, Isner fought through his nerves and found a way to win. Midway through the second set he began moving better, his forehand became a weapon, and his first serve was back for good.  

He took the second set 6-3, and the growing confidence remained with him in the third set. His first serve became almost unreturnable for Benneteau, and even Isner's second serves were hitting their spots and proving too difficult for the Frenchman to read. On the returning end of the court Isner began  attacking Benneteau's second serve, forcing him to go for too much.

Then, after logging 19 aces and four service winners, John Isner won the first Winston-Salem Open 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. On court after the match, Isner thanked his mom for the home-cooked meals he ate while staying at his family's home in Greensboro during the tournament, and he said he couldn't have asked for anything better.