NEWPORT, R.I. - Having not won a match in over two years, having played (and lost) in two matches after having two back surgeries, at 27 years of age, Taylor Dent, one of the most promising of the new breed of American tennis players heading into the new millenium, may have to come to terms with his fate.

"I think about thinking realistically, I'm not good enough to be where I want to be," said the rugged 6-foot-5 Californian, who was two points away (serving at 5-4, 30-30 in the second set) from winning his first round match against Frank Dancevic at the International Tennis Hall of Fame Championships Tuesday.

However, as fate would have it, the heavy-hitting Dent dropped service in that momentum-swinging 10th game of the second set, one of four straight service breaks, the result being a 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 victory for No. 99 ranked Dancevic, the No. 1 ranked player in Canada, hailing from Niagara Falls.

It's been a cascade for Dent after undergoing experimental back fusion surgery in March of 2007. When that failed to fuse the "05 connected to the S-1" lower vertebrae, Dent underwent more conventional back surgery with rods and screws in September, 2007.

"It's not going to be instantaneous," said Dent of his physical recovery, having not played a tour match in 2007, not even having an ATP ranking at the moment. Since the February, 2006 Rotterdam tournament, Dent didn't play a match until the Carson, California Challenger tournament (losing to Cecil Mamet) in May. In 2005, Dent was ranked as high as No. 21 in the world and the 2002 Tennis Hall of Fame champion only got in the back door on Bellevue Avenue as a result of a wild card berth extended by tournament director Mark Stenning.

"Physically, I feel fine," said Dent. "But, the toughest transition is going to be the fitness part, no doubt about it. I haven't put this much stress on my body in two years."

Dent lost just four points on five service games in winning the first set, winning 93 percent of his first service points. However, that dropped to 70 percent (16-for-23) in the second set and to just 43 percent (six for 14) in the third set, falling behind 5-0, overall having eight aces with 11 double faults.

"I sensed that he was starting to get a little bit tired," said Dancevic. "As the match went on, I started getting more opportunities."

Dent, the son of former Australian great Phil Dent and a Los Angeles Lakers' fan ("don't remind me about it") admitted his rollercoaster match was "to be expected. I was playing decent tennis, but nerves got the better of me. I got tight on my serve. In all reality, to me, it's progress. To me, it's an unbelievable step.

"I'm still not convinced that I can play at the level I did before I left.

"It's not that I have to start from scratch, but almost. I don't have any ego about it. I have no shame in playing Challengers or Futures (the minor pro tennis circuit). When I first started playing, winning was the most important thing. Now, I tell guys that you have to put improving first. I think that hurt my game, the overall progression. I'm a better player since I've been away."

Another big (6-foot-9) hitter, No. 5 seeded, No. 83 ranked John Isner was brutally inefficient (winning just 36 of 93 points contested) in losing 6-3, 6-1 to fellow American Jesse Levine; while in other first round matches, South African Kevin Anderson overcame a one-set deficit to Gilles Muller 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-3 and Prakash Amritraj (son of Vijay) overcame a one-set deficit to Joseph Sirianni 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4.