SURGERY NOT NECESSARY

Sore shoulder dims Jan-Michael's Davis Cup future

By Sandra Harwitt
tennisreporters.net

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y., AUG. 31 – Once again, disappointment hits the Jan-Michael Gambill trail, a trail that many claimed was destined to lead him to greatness, but to date has stopped short of major success.

The 24-year-old Gambill has been bothered by a shoulder injury on-and-off through much of the season and despite taking last week off as a rest period, it flared up to the point he couldn’t lift his arm to serve and hit a forehand. So trailing Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-4, 4-1 in the second round of the U.S. Open on Thursday, Gambill packed it in, prepared to have an MRI done on Friday in New York, and then head home to Colbert, Washington on Saturday.

“It’s not necessary to have surgery,” said an unhappy Gambill, after cutting the match short. “I have an MRI tomorrow. See exactly what we’re dealing with. It’s inflammation of the nerves in there, of the tendons. It’s causing a lot of pain in my arm. Nothing I can do about it.”

The burning question about Gambill now is whether he will be named to the upcoming Davis Cup team that will face India the week of Sept. 16th in a relegation match to earn a slot in the elite 16-country World Group of Davis Cup for 2002. Gambill was considered something of a shoo-in for a singles berth along with America’s newest star Andy Roddick, leaving the doubles to either the twin brother’s Bob and Mike Bryan or Wimbledon champions Don Johnson and Jared Palmer.

The Deep Throat of Davis Cup information told tennisreporters.net that veteran Todd Martin, a Davis Cup stalwart, is an option to add to the mix now that Gambill is questionable. At the Tennis Masters Series-Cincinnati tournament this summer, Martin said he believed that Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe should go with a young team, but that if he is called to service he would be available.

AGING CHANG MIGHT SUB
Our source also revealed that Michael Chang, who recently surprised all by journeying to the semifinals at Washington, could be considered as a possible candidate for the Davis Cup squad. It comes as quite a surprise to tennisreporters.net that Chang has put his name forward for the team since he seemed to go out of his way to avoid Davis Cup duty when he was at the height of his game.

But when asked if he’s ready to head to Winston-Salem, Chang said, “Absolutely. Absolutely. I feel like the U.S. is in a pretty good position to get back into the World Group. Obviously, India is not an easy customer. Hopefully, the U.S. team will be healthy. I know Andy is healthy. I know Todd is struggling a little bit. Jan-Michael is struggling a little bit. Yeah, I think, you know, definitely I would reconsider that for sure.”

Fred Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

Our source also reveals that if by an act of God young American James Blake, who spent two years at Harvard before joining the tour, pulls off an upset over No. 4 seed Lleyton Hewitt in the second round on Friday, he would move himself into contention for a singles spot.

As for Gambill, he was too upset on Thursday to really contemplate his status for Davis Cup.

“Right now, I don’t give a shit,” he said of his chances for Davis Cup. “What I care about is my arm. If I’m picked by the captain, then I’ll make every effort I can to get well by then. If not, then I’ll be home. Dealing with injury is difficult at best. This thing hurts. Obviously, if I can’t play the U.S. Open, if it’s in the same condition as it is now in two weeks, I won’t be playing Davis Cup.”

This is the latest injury that has cropped up for Gambill, whose good looks have led to a great deal of recognition in the sport as well as status as a People Magazine 50 Most Beautiful People – no wonder the Ford Modeling contract came his way, although he doesn’t seem to be plastering billboards or lighting up runways.

Right here at the U.S. Open, Gambill has posted some of his worst career results. In his Flushing Meadows debut in 1997, he came and went in the first round. He followed that by a third round loss in ’98, second round defeat in ’99 and back to the third round in 2000. Presumably, to make things appear symmetrical, this was the year he had to go out in the second round on Thursday.

“I’ve had some unfortunate losses here,” Gambill said. “Two years ago cramping, last year just a tough loss against (Thomas) Johansson, he played better than I did that day. Here, this is my most unfortunate of all, not being able to play the match the way you expected to play, especially when I though I was having a pretty good summer, playing good tennis.”

Despite the shoulder injury, Gambill has had a rather solid showing this year, winning his second career title at Delray Beach in February. He reached the final at the Ericsson Open where he lost to Andre Agassi, and also had one semifinal and seven quarterfinal postings thus far this year.