Gambill earns win with new forehand

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Jan-Michael Gambill used a one-handed forehand for the first time on the ATP Tour, and defeated fourth-seeded Cyril Saulnier 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 to advance to the second round of the Millennium International Tennis Championships Tuesday.

Gambill served 21 of the match’s 31 aces and eliminated Saulnier in two hours.

“I’m starting to play better again,” said Gambill, who won his ITC-record 14th match at the Delray Beach Tennis Center. “Sometimes you go through a time where you lose a little confidence, and I had injuries that lasted for a long, long time. When I came back and felt like I was 100 percent, I had lost a lot of confidence.”

Gambill, 27 of Colbert, Wash., is ranked No. 103 in the world and was winless in two matches this year.

“I’m trying to change a few things in my game,” Gambill said. “Using the one-handed forehand is a large step for me. A step that really could bring my game to a new height. I fought very well tonight, made very few errors with it.”