Gambill Given Spot In U.S. Open

Jan-Michael Gambill of Colbert, in just his second full year on the ATP tour, will play in his first tennis Grand Slam event next week.

Gambill, 20, a 1995 graduate of Mead High School, on Monday was one of eight awarded a wild card spot in the main draw of the U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows, N.Y., by the United States Tennis Association.

“I’m not really worried about it,” he said from his Spokane area home when asked about the possibility of facing a highly seeded opponent. The first-round draw will be conducted Wednesday.

“It’s just great to be going.”

The tournament, which will open the new Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA National Tennis Center, will run from Monday through Sept. 7.

Gambill climbed to 218th in the world rankings by winning his first-round match in the $1.4 million Pilot Pen Invitational last week. He stands 264th in the world in earnings with $32,702 in 14 tournaments this year.

He will be the first Spokane tennis player to participate in a Grand Slam event since former Ferris High standout Julie Harrington in the early 1980s. She won her first two matches in her initial U.S. Open in 1981.

, DataTimes