Dent Powers Past Kim

Taylor Dent exhibited many of the skills that helped elevate his ranking to the top 25 against Kevin Kim in the JSM Challenger semifinals. Dent raced out to a 4-0 lead and never looked back, taking the match 6-1, 6-2. Kim earned break point chances early in the second set, but Dent had an answer for each of them. The win moves Dent into the final where he'll face Michael Russell. The players have previously met twice, with Russell winning both contests. However, the most recent match was in 2002 and Taylor appears to be regaining the form he possessed at the height of his career. The JSM Challenger singles final will begin following doubles at approximately 1:00 pm.

In the evening's first match, Brian and Dann Battistone earned their first trip to a Challenger final in 2009 with a straight sets victory over Jamie Delgado and John Paul Fruttero. The Battistones used a high percentage of first serves and an ability to win the deciding no-ad deuce point to win points at key moments of the match. They'll face the No. 2 seeded team of Treat Huey and Harsh Mankad in the JSM Challenger doubles final.

Finals Set for 12:00 pm on Saturday, November 21

The 2009 JSM Challenger finals will begin at noon on Saturday, November 21 beginning with doubles play. The singles final will begin immediately following the conclusion of the doubles final. General admission tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students. Come see tomorrow's tennis champions showcase their skills. Visit www.illinoischallenger.com for the latest tournament news, results, and updated schedules.