Jason Zimmermann will make his debut today in the qualifier of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters Tournament against top seed Alberto Martin.

        A 19-year-old sophomore at Duke University and Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy graduate, Zimmermann is one of 32 players vying for the eight qualifying spots in the main draw of the tournament, which begins Monday.

        “I called (tournament director) Bruce Flory last week and asked to be put on the qualifier list, but I didn't expect to be put in,” said Zimmermann, the Ohio Division II high school state singles champion in 2001. “It's going to be fun, and I'll go out there with the frame of mind to do my best. There's a lot of young players in the qualifier who have already proved themselves, and this will be a great experience.”

        The 16 winners today

        will advance to Sunday's finals to determine the eight entered in the main draw. One of the qualifiers, to be determined by a draw

        Sunday, will play No.1 Lleyton Hewitt.

        “It's been awhile since we invited a local player to the qualifier,” Flory said. “Jason could some day end up on the tour.”

        The highest-ranked player in the qualifier is Agustin Calleri (48th), an Argentina native who has won more than $500,000 in prize money since turning professional in 1995.

        Other notable players include

        Oleg Ogorodov, Alberto Martin, Nicolas Massu, Vincent Spadea, Wayne Arthurs, Paul-Henri Mattieu , Cedric Pioline and Mardy Fish.

        “Seventy-five percent of the players in the qualifier will be in the main draw of the U.S. Open,” Flory said. “We felt bad having to leave some of the players out of the main draw, but we had no choice.”

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