Driven Dent back in form

Taylor Dent took another step Saturday afternoon on his long comeback trail from a back injury and surgery.

Dent, 28, ranked No. 21 in the world in 2005, defeated Ilija Bozoljac 6-3, 7-6 (6) to win the $50,000 Knoxville Challenger at the University of Tennessee's Goodfriend Tennis Center.

After years of playing on the world's biggest stages, Dent now finds himself trying to work himself back to that level on the USTA circuit.

"For some guys, I think that's a real tough pill to swallow," the third-seeded Dent said, "but for me I'm so driven, I'm so motivated that I see this as a necessary step. I see this as part of my progression, so I'm more than happy to come here and I'm even happier to come here and win.

"It's a big deal for me and I get excited. I have no problem with these tournaments."

Dent, who has won almost $2.3 million in his career, earned $7,200 for winning the Knoxville Challenger. The unseeded Bozoljac earned $4,240 for being runner-up.

When the 2009 season started, Dent's ranking was No. 865 in the world. He entered the Knoxville Challenger ranked No. 104.

Dent reached the round of 16 at the ATP Miami event in March before losing to Roger Federer, advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open in late summer before losing to Andy Murray, and won the Tulsa Challenger in September. He will play the Champaigne (Ill.) Challenger next week.

"This is kind of what the mainstream of tennis doesn't understand: These guys can all play," Dent said. "What separates the guys playing in these Challengers from guys even in the top 20 and top 30 is just consistency. That's it.

"On any day these guys can play every bit as well as the guys in the top 20, so to come out here and win these weeks is huge. It's a big confidence builder, and I have another tournament next week and hopefully I keep my level high because if it drops off just a hair that's going to be enough for these guys to get the better of me."

Dent, son of former world top-20 player Phil Dent of Australia, won his first ATP Tour title in 2002 and won three ATP titles in 2003. He finished the 2004 season with a No. 32 ranking, and improved that in 2005 when he finished No. 30 after winning a career-high 33 matches.

His career took a turn for the worse in 2006. His back troubles began in the winter of that year and he had minor surgery that May.

Doctors gave him a grim prognosis for his future.

"I was basically told not to get surgery, to play tennis because it (the back injury) wasn't going to let me play professional tennis," Dent said. "I was trying to do physical therapy, rehab for a year, and that didn't work. I just happened to deteriorate so much surgery was the only option."

Dent had surgery in March of 2007 and was in a body cast for several months. He had another surgery in September of 2007.

In 2008, Dent entered some tournaments to test his fitness and tennis against opponents. He says he wasn't ready.

"I don't even think I was ready to win matches at the beginning of this year," he said. "I was just playing to use it as a stepping stone to build fitness and see what the level is like out here, see what needs to happen for me to compete and beat these guys. I wasn't really even counting on winning matches until the U.S. hard court season (this past summer). Even then, it was pressing pretty hard."

Dave Link is a freelance contributor.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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