Tennis: Hansen-Dent returns in style

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - In what has quickly become the featured match in

the tournament, the men’s open singles, fans who waited in line to enter

the Newport Beach Tennis Club to watch the finals Sunday were not

disappointed.

Local standout Brett Hansen-Dent, formerly of Newport Harbor High,

electrified the crowd and won $3,000 with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 victory over

Michael Jessup in the 39th annual Roy Emerson Adoption Guild Tennis

Classic.

“I got lucky in that tiebreaker,” said Hansen-Dent, who chased down a

Jessup volley at set point and returned it with his forehand for a

winner.

“I was down a break in the first set, but somehow I got back in.

(Jessup’s) weapons were court speed and little counterpunch angle shots.

If you’re not there (for the return), you’re done.”

Hansen-Dent, who controlled the second set, captured his fourth career

Adoption Guild championship, following two titles in 1995 (men’s doubles

and mixed doubles) and one in 1989, when he won the men’s doubles with

his stepfather, Phil Dent.

Hansen-Dent, the 1990 CIF Southern Section singles champion for Newport

Harbor, pulled a muscle in his upper left leg in the second set, but

managed to stay loose and close out Jessup, who beat Corona del Mar’s

Scott Davis in the semifinals Saturday, 6-3, 6-7, 6-1.

For his runner-up effort, Jessup earned $2,000.

“In the second set, I knew what I had to do,” said Hansen-Dent, who had

Jessup, a former Pepperdine standout, on the move.

“I’ve definitely had better days. In fact, all throughout the tournament

I haven’t felt like I’ve been playing well. But to win the big points,

that’s what really matters.”

Hansen-Dent, who said he was nervous before match playing in front of his

home fans, has come out of retirement and rejoined the men’s pro

satellite circuit.

In December, he quit his teaching pro job in La Jolla and started playing

again in February.

The former USC and UCI All-American has played two satellite events in

Australia and plans to play a couple of Futures events in Mexico later

this month.

Hansen-Dent, 27, played on the pro tour from 1995 to ‘97, but knee

injuries forced him off the court. He has undergone three knee operations

in his career, two on his right knee.

“I’m giving (a pro career) one more chance,” Hansen-Dent said. “My knees

are finally fixed.”

Hansen-Dent, who had no ranking early in 2000 but is now about 850th in

the world in singles, intends to play some doubles with his stepbrother,

Taylor Dent, 19.

“Now that he’s finally grown up and bigger than me, maybe we can play

doubles,” Hansen-Dent said of the ’96 CIF singles champion for Corona del

Mar High as a freshman, who turned pro two years ago.