Top names at tennis tourney

Jan Michael Gambill said he was just happy to complete his first-round match Tuesday at the USTA $50,000 Calabasas Pro Tennis Challenger. The 30-year-old Gambill, once ranked as high as No. 14 in the world, hobbled through a 6-4, 7-6 (6) loss to former NCAA singles champion Benedikt Dorsch at the Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center.

"I'm just glad I was able to compete hard and finish the match," said Gambill. "I've pulled out of just about every event I've entered since the summer."

After taking time off from an injury and to open the Gambill Tennis Academy in Kona, Hawaii, the Spokane, Wash., native made a comeback this summer, even playing World Team Tennis for Houston.

"In the last match I hurt my back and I haven't been the same since," Gambill said. "My entire left leg is numb. I was just trying to get some feeling back into it during the match. I'm just glad I finished. I've been pulling out of events ever since the summer."

Gambill earned $3.6 million during his career and won three career singles titles and five in doubles.

Dorsch, a German and the 2005 NCAA champ from Baylor, next plays top-seeded Robert Kendrick, a former Pepperdine All-America who beat Kevin Kim, 06, 62, 62. Wimbledon junior champion Donald Young, the No. 6 seed at the annual Calabasas tournament, escaped his first-round match with a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (1), 6-1 win over Rajeev Ram.

A week after beating Michael Russell on his way to the semifinals at the $75,000 Sacramento Challenger, Zack Fleishman couldn't foresee a first-round exit here. But that's exactly what happened as Fleishman fell to France's Augustin Gensse, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Players from all over the world are competing at the weeklong event. The finals are Sunday.