The future of American Tennis was on display Friday night at Kalamazoo College's Stowe Stadium. Young American Tennis professionals Mike Russell and Taylor Dent squared off in the National City Bank Exhibition, and the result was an entertaining display of high-level tennis. Dent won the pro set match 8-7 in a 9-7 tie-break. He also topped another statistical category as well. Dent's 125 mph service ace in the eight game of the match was the fastest serve recorded by the center court radar gun, although Russell responded three games later with a 123 mph ace of his own.

Russell had his share of triumphant moments during the match. At one point in the fourteenth game, Russell displayed his amazing movement chasing down several of Dent's well-placed volleys before Dent managed to sneak one past Russell's out-stretched racket. After the point, Dent mockingly dropped into a half-split. Russell responded by performing a full split.

After the two pros finished their single's match, they teamed up to take on the number one ranked doubles team in Boys 18s of Steven and Prakash Amritraj. With Dent-Russell leading 7-2 in the eight game pro set, Taylor Dent sat in his court-side chair while Russell stole the spotlight with his humorous impersonations of several tennis greats, including the previously scheduled exhibition pro Andy Roddick. Courier / Becker / Gambill / Roddick / McEnroe / Agassi / Edberg lost the game, but Dent-Russell closed out the match 8-5.

The National City Bank Exhibition is held annually in conjunction with the opening ceremonies of the USTA Boys 18 & 16 Super National Championships.

Source: Matt