Men's Tennis preview: Key Biscayne Invitational
Jan. 6, 2011
WHAT: Texas opens 2011 with an individual singles and doubles event featuring Michigan, LSU and Denver. WHEN: Friday, Jan. 7 through Sunday, Jan. 9. WHERE: Key Biscayne, Fla. LAST TIME OUT: Sophomores Ben Chen and Daniel Whitehead won the main doubles draw in November at the Texas Invitational. Senior Ed Corrie and junior Jean Andersen reached the doubles semifinals at the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships in New York City. THE 2011 LONGHORNS: Texas returns four regular singles starters from the 2009-10 squad that won the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles and reached the round of 16 for a fifth consecutive year at the NCAA Championships. Texas ranks fifth in the preseason college tennis team poll released Tuesday by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), and the Longhorns command six additional slots in the preseason singles and doubles rankings. Senior Ed Corrie and junior Jean Andersen rank fifth in the ITA preseason doubles rankings after qualifying for the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships last fall. Sophomores Ben Chen and Daniel Whitehead boast a No. 15 ITA preseason doubles ranking after producing a stellar fall season together. Senior Kellen Damico and redshirt freshman David Holiner hold a No. 25 ITA doubles ranking. Damico and the aforementioned Corrie earned doubles All-America honors as freshmen in 2008.
Damico ranks 76th in the ITA preseason singles rankings, and sophomore Vasko Mladenov, the 2010 ITA Texas Region Rookie Player of the Year, follows closely behind Damico in the 78th slot. Sophomore Ben Chen, a contender to crack the regular singles lineup, ranks 100th nationally in singles. UT welcomes the aforementioned Holiner, Purdue transfer Thomas Wilson and freshman Sudanwa Sitaram for the 2010-11 season. |
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