WEDNESDAY'S RESULTS
Singles, Second Round
Michael Joyce, Santa Monica, Calif., def. Michael Quintero, Colombia, 6-3, 6-2
Noam Okun, Israel, def. Glenn Weiner, Long Beach, Calif., 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (5-7), 6-4
Denis Golovanov, Russia, def. Ivo Karlovic, Croatia, 6-3, 6-4
Justin Gimelstob, Miami, Fla., def. Michael Chang (1), Mercer Island, Wash., 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
Doubles, First Round
Michael Joyce, Santa Monica, Calif., and Kyle Spencer, Great Britain, def. Jaymon Crabb and Peter Luczak, Australia (4), 6-2, 6-2
Robby Ginepri, Marietta, Ga., and Cecil Mamiit, Los Angeles, Calif., def. Denis Golovanov, Russia, and Frederic Niemeyer, Canada (3), 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
Marco Chiudinelli, Switzerland, and Louis Vosloo, South Africa, def. Scott Lipsky, Merrick, N.Y., and David Martin, Tulsa, Okla., 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
Amir Hadad, Israel, and Martin Vassallo Arguello, Argentina (2), def. Rick Kepler, Aptos, Calif., and Marc La Monica, Santa Rosa, Calif., 6-4, 6-2
Brandon Coupe, Granite Bay, Calif., and Brandon Hawk, Clyde, Texas, def. Ivo Karlovic, Croatia, and Danai Udomchoke, Thailand, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
Ryan Haviland, Aiken, S.C., and Sam Warburg, Sacramento, Calif., def. Gabriel Trifu, Romania, and Glenn Weiner, Long Beach, Calif., (1) def. 6-2, 6-3
Gimelstob Upsets Top-Seeded Chang
7/18/02 2:35 PM
(APTOS, Calif., July 17, 2002) -- Justin Gimelstob isn't intimidated when it comes to competing against the best tennis players in the world. The 6-foot-5 Miami resident combined brilliant shot-making with a consistent service game Wednesday to post a first-ever career win over top-seeded Michael Chang at the Seascape Challenger.
Gimelstob outlasted Chang in a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 second-round match at the $50,000 event, held at the Seascape Sports Club (Santa Cruz County).
"Two guys playing as hard as they could with the crowd into it -- it was a fun match," Gimelstob said. "I'm really proud of the way I hung in there in the third set. I weathered the storm."
The 25-year-old Gimelstob turned pro in 1996 and reached a career-high ranking of No. 63 in 1999. He holds career wins over Alex Corretja, Patrick Rafter, Todd Martin, Jan-Michael Gambill and Mark Philippoussis. Entering the tournament with a world ranking of No. 158, Gimelstob had lost twice to Chang, most recently in the semifinals of the Calabasas (Calif.) Challenger in April.
Once ranked as high as No. 2 in the world, Chang won the 1989 French Open a year after turning pro at the age of 15.
Chang's loss continued a dubious streak at the Seascape Challenger. No top seed has ever won the tournament.
"I played a little tentative today," said the 30-year-old Chang, who double-faulted on match point. "I didn't really go for my shots. I was waiting for Justin. I didn't really take it to him."
Other players to advance into the quarterfinals included seventh-seeded Noam Okun of Israel, a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 6-4 winner over Glenn Weiner of Long Beach, Calif.; unseeded American Michael Joyce, who beat lucky loser Michael Quintero of Colombia, 6-3, 6-2; and Russian Denis Golovanov, who defeated Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, 6-3, 6-4.
The Seascape Challenger, the longest-running men's tournament in the USTA Challenger Series, runs through Sunday, July 21. Matches are slated to begin at 10 a.m. each day this week, with finals Sunday afternoon.
The 32-player main event will award $7,200 to the singles champ. Past champions include Patrick Rafter in 1993 and Jan-Michael Gambill in 1997.
Tickets for the Seascape Challenger are $12 for adults through Thursday, $15 Friday, $20 Saturday and $24 Sunday. A Friday-Saturday-Sunday pass is $50. Kids 12 and under are half price.
For more information about the Seascape Challenger, call (831) 688-1993.
THURSDAY'S SCHEDULE
Stadium Court, 10 a.m.
Jaymon Crabb, Australia, vs. Martin Vassallo Arguello (5), Argentina
Followed by, not before noon
Robby Ginepri (4), Marietta, Ga., vs. Noam Behr, Israel
Followed by
John Paul Fruttero, San Marino, Calif., and Phillip King, Long Beach, Calif., vs. Amir Hadad, Israel, and Martin Vassallo Arguello, Argentina (2)
Followed by, not before 3:30 p.m.
Harel Levy and Noam Okun, Israel, vs. Robby Ginepri, Marietta, Ga., and Cecil Mamiit, Los Angeles, Calif.
Followed by, not before 5:30 p.m.
Brian Vahaly (8), Atlanta, Ga., vs. Jeff Salzenstein, Westwood, Calif.
Court 5, 11 a.m.
Gabriel Trifu, Romania, vs. Danai Udomchoke, Thailand
Followed by
Michael Joyce, Santa Monica, Calif., and Kyle Spencer, Great Britain, vs. Brandon Coupe, Granite Bay, Calif., and Brandon Hawk, Clyde, Texas
Followed by, not before 4:30 p.m.
Ryan Haviland, Aiken, S.C., and Sam Warburg, Sacramento, Calif., vs. Marco Chiudinelli, Switzerland, and Louis Vosloo, South Africa