Experience paid off for Jan-Michael Gambill in
the final of of the International Tennis Championship.
The fourth-seeded Gambill blitzed a nervous Mardy Fish, who was playing in his
first ATP final, 6-0 7-6 (7-5) to claim this hardcourt event for the second time
in three years.
"That was by far the best match I've played all week, especially against
someone who was playing as well as Mardy was," said Gambill, whose previous
best result this season was a runner-up finish at Doha in January.
"He's going to be in a lot more finals this year and it was great to play
against another American who is playing so well."
Playing in the first all-American final in Delray Beach since 1993, Gambill
earned 52,000 for his third victory over Fish in as many meetings.
"It's definitely a learning experience," Fish said.
"I'm going to take a lot from this. I can pretty much tell you I won't lose
the first set, 6-0, in my next ATP final.
"I didn't play particularly well. I guess I got caught up a little in the
moment. I think I just needed to get a couple of games in there.
"But looking back on the match, I don't think I played that bad of a first
set. He just had every answer to every shot. If he plays like that he's going to
beat a lot of people."
Gambill, a 25-year-old from Spokane, Washington, won his first title since his
triumph here two years ago, when he also defeated Fish, and his third overall.
"Winning titles is a big deal for me right now in my career," he said.
"Seizing the opportunity for myself more than anything else. I hadn't won a
tournament in two years. So it's nice to get another title."
Gambill clearly enjoys playing at Delray Beach, winning 13 of 15 career
matches here. He won two three-setters this week to improve to 7-0 here when
going to distance.
"I fought through some tough matches in this tournament," said Gambill, who
will climb five positions from 39 when the new ATP Entry Rankings are released
on Monday.
"Even when I wasn't playing that well, I toughed it out, gutted it out. When
you play matches like I played in the last two rounds, I was in dire straits in
those and you get to the final it's like, 'Wow, I'm in the final, I can
relax."'
Although considered one of the United States' rising young players, Fish had
not appeared in an ATP semi-final before this week. But his runner-up effort
continued a strong season for the 21-year-old Florida resident, who has advanced
to a pair of quarterfinals at Sydney and Memphis.
"I said I wanted to be top 50 this year and I should be right around there
when the rankings come out, so I will definitely sit down with my coach this
week and maybe re-set my goals a little," said Fish, who will move to about
51st or 52nd in the ATP Entry Rankings.
"Top 20 is probably a far-fetched goal, but if I can get into the top
30..."
After the lopsided first set, the set second set remained on serve. Fish
leaped out to a 3-0 lead in the tiebreaker but Gambill won six of the next seven
points to reach double-match point.
Gambill lost the first point, but blasted an ace on the second.
"I was just firing on all 12 cylinders," he said.
"I was returning great, I was serving great. The first set was a breeze and I
was just hoping to keep it going. I knew he would play better in the second.
"He served a lot better and I'm glad I was able to get through it in the
tiebreaker."
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