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Men's Tennis
vs ITA All-American Championship
Blue Devils Ready To Close Fall Season
11/5/2014 1:10:00 PM | Men's Tennis
DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke men's tennis team will end its fall season this weekend with members of the squad in action at two events. The Blue Devils will be taking part in the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in Flushing, N.Y., and Dick Vitale Clay Court Classic in Bradenton, Fla.
Senior Jason Tahir and freshman Nicolas Alvarez were two of only 32 student-athletes to qualify for the ITA's premier event. Alvarez had to withdraw due to illness, but Tahir will be making the trip to New York. It is just the fourth time since 2003 that the Blue Devils were able to have two players qualify for the tournament, and they are two of only seven Duke players to qualify for the USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships.
“It's the most exclusive tournament there is,” head coach Ramsey Smith said. “It is the best of the best. It's at the site of the U.S. Open, the biggest tennis tournament in our country. It is a very special venue and tournament.
"If you get one player in I consider that a pretty successful fall, but to have two is very neat. It's such a nice way to finish the fall.”
Tahir, a Rochester, N.Y., native, will open the tournament in his home state against Denver's Henry Craig at 9 a.m. ET Thursday. If Tahir advances, he will face the winner of the Axel Alvarez Llames (Oklahoma) versus Fernando Bogajo (Armstrong State) match. The event will be held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
“This is the one tournament I haven't played in during my collegiate career and I'm from New York,” Tahir said. “It's the most excited I've been to play in a tennis tournament in a long time. It's such a great atmosphere to be in, for all the competitors.”
In Bradenton, senior Raphael Hemmeler, juniors Bruno Semenzato and Josh Levine and sophomore TJ Pura and will take part in the tournament, held at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club. All four will take part in singles and doubles action during the event.
Following Saturday's play, the group will head to Dick Vitale's house for a dinner party.
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