Although the men’s tennis team was previously dominated by strong upperclassmen, this year the tables have turned, and sophomores are taking the lead. The Fall Invitational hosted by Cornell will be held at the Reis Tennis Center this Friday and Saturday. The team will be competing against players from Stoneybrook, Binghamton, Middlebury, and UConn.
According to Coach Schoonmaker, players from Stoneybrook and Binghamton will be the team’s toughest opponents.
Although the team was disappointed to lose two of its top All-Ivy picks from last season, a solid group of returning players is optimistic about an excellent start to the new season. They may be young, but the team’s talent and depth will be key strengths this year. This will be the year for the sophomores to step up and shine.
Another key strength of the men’s team this year is the players’ ability to hit the ball with an incredible amount of pace as compared to some of the opponents they will be facing. However, even with a lot of pace, “a lot will depend on the players executing their shots,” Schoonmaker said. In tennis, victory often comes down to avoiding unforced errors and keeping control of the ball.
Leading the team this year will be seniors Matt Cherner-Ranft, Sunil Iyer, and Abedin Sham. Even though these seniors have tough shoes to fill, they are looking forward to the opportunity for improvement that a new season brings.
While the men’s team hopes for strong wins this weekend, the very first tournament will mainly be used to see where the team stands. After losing singles players 1, 2, and 4 last year, others will have the chance to play at the top of the lineup.
Archived article by Kristen Schneider Sun Contributor