BY MICHAEL PERRY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON -- Jan-Michael Gambill, who may be the future of American tennis, gets his first crack at the reigning grand master today.
Gambill, who turned 21 in June and is the youngest player ranked in the top 100, meets Pete Sampras, No. 2 in the world and the top seed in the Great American Insurance ATP Championship.
Gambill has already played his childhood hero, Andre Agassi, four times this year (winning once), but he has never faced Sampras.
"Playing Pete is like going to Disneyland for the first time," Gambill said. "Andre's always been my hero, so the first time against Andre was a little different; I was a little in awe of him. I won't be in awe of Pete hero-wise. But he may be the best player of all time, and just to get a chance to play him at all is incredible. I'm going to be really pumped up."
Gambill has risen from No. 176 at the end of the 1997 season to No. 60. He has advanced here with a first-round victory over qualifier Olivier Delaitre and a grueling second-rounder against No. 18 Cedric Pioline.
That 2 1/2-hour match lasted until late Tuesday night and included the point of the day: Tied 1-1 in the third set, the next game went to 12 deuces, with Gambill eventually winning when Pioline hit a shot into the net.
"It might've been one of the longest games I've ever played," Gambill said.
It was his third top-20 victory of the year (Mark Philippoussis, Tim Henman).
A practice partner for the U.S. Davis Cup team this year, Gambill has been singled out by Agassi as the most promising of the young American players.
Gambill said he has hit with Sampras but doesn't really have a relationship with him.
"Pete's a nice guy," Gambill said. "He's nice to me, and I respect him a lot. I don't know him. I've spoken to him a little bit, and we say hi. He likes to stay to himself, and I respect that. It's worked for him."
Facing Sampras gives Gambill a chance to gauge where his game is. He has judged his progress against Agassi as well.
"I feel like I can go out there and hold serve, if I serve well," Gambill said of today's match. "It will be interesting to go out and play the guy that I've basically tried to pattern my serve after and see if I can return a few of his serves and make him work a little bit."
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