Legg Mason Tennis Classic Final

In Sunday's final, Roddick will take on Legg Mason Tennis Classic breakout star Isner, who notched his fifth consecutive third set tie-break victory at night against Monfils. Playing in just his second career ATP main draw, Isner advanced to his first career ATP final with a 6-7(4), 7-6(1), 7-6(2) victory, after going the distance in his earlier rounds against Tim Henman, No. 8 seed Benjamin Becker, Wayne Odesnik and No. 2 seed Tommy Haas. He is believed to be the first player in ATP history to win five matches in a row in a third set tie-break, and at No. 416 in the world is the second-lowest ranked player this year to reach an ATP final. Peter Wessels was ranked No. 488 in 's-Hertogenbosch where he lost to Ivan Ljubicic in the final.

Two weeks ago (on July 23) Isner was ranked No. 745 and then he won the Lexington Challenger to move to No. 416 last Monday. He will move to around No 190 by reaching the final and to around No 157 if he wins his first ATP title. Only two other players outside the Top 400 have won an ATP title -- No. 550 Lleyton Hewitt (1998 Adelaide) and No. 453 Yahiya Doumbia (1988 Lyon).

Isner and Monfils both held tightly onto their service games throughout the two-hour, 26-minute encounter until the ultimate stages of the match, when Monfils broke for 6-5 only to drop his serve to send the match into a deciding tie-break. Monfils' late-match break of serve was just the fourth time in 86 service games that Isner was broken this week.