Dent Makes Very Little Impression

It was a year ago that Newport Beach’s Taylor Dent debuted on the ATP Tour at the Mercedes-Benz Cup in Los Angeles. If that match against Sandon Stolle and Monday afternoon’s match against Justin Gimelstob can be used to track Dent’s progress, then it can be said Dent took a step backward.

Gimelstob disposed of Dent, 18, a wild-card entrant,, 6-2, 6-2, in 44 minutes before a sparse crowd on stadium court at UCLA. Last year, he fell to Stolle, 6-3, 6-2, in 55 minutes.

The only post-match analysis came from Gimelstob, as Dent left the grounds immediately after the match with his father and coach, Phil Dent.

“I was really impressed with the pace of his serve,” said Gimelstob, ranked 85 on the ATP computer. “I’m a big fan of Taylor’s. I think he’s going to be really good. He’s going to take his lumps for now. He’s got to develop a style of play.”

Dent’s style of tennis is serve and volley. But Monday, it was almost entirely serve. Many of Dent’s volleys sailed off the court or didn’t have enough zip and were turned into passing shots by Gimelstob.

Dent’s serve was clocked several times at 134 mph, but it was erratic. His serve was broken to open the match and it was broken three more times.

“I return big serves pretty well,” Gimelstob said. “And I attack second serves well. I know that’s his strength.”

Gimelstob knows that from practicing with Dent. He has also sought the advice of Phil Dent, a former top-10 pro from Australia who also has worked with Michael Chang. Gimelstob, 22, said it is unfair to compare his game or his potential with Taylor Dent’s.

“He’s four years younger than me,” Gimelstob said. “I’m more in the class with Jan-Michael Gambill. “I think Taylor’s going to be a great player. But it’s tough in that group of the [next potential American stars]. That puts a lot of pressure on him. I do think he’s one of the top kids in his age group.”

Dent’s career-high ranking of 260 didn’t qualify him for the main draw at the Mercedes-Benz Cup, but he was given a wild card by tournament director Bob Kramer for the second consecutive year.

His ranking has improved about 150 spots from this time last year and some of his results have been encouraging. He won a satellite event in Australia in May and he reached the finals of a Futures event on the East Coast last month. But when he has faced top 100 players, he hasn’t put up much of a fight.

Two weeks ago at the Aptos Challenger, a visibly-frustrated Dent was beaten by Michael Chang, 6-2, 6-2. In that match, Dent shattered his racket on a wood post after losing a point.

Dent didn’t lose his cool Monday, but he also never looked like he a chance of beating Gimelstob, who is 10-17 this season, his third on the tour after leaving UCLA after his freshman year.

“It’s going to take him longer to develop because he’s a serve-and-volleyer,” Gimelstob said. “But I have full confidence that he will.”