US College Signings 2018 (and general college chat)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

US College Signings 2018 (and general college chat)

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

I'll give it some thought CD

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Indoor Team Champs Men

R1

#1 Wake Forest bt Washington 4-0 (forgot Washington had a place in this as the host school)

5. #62 Christian Seraphism (Wake Forest) bt Piers Foley (Washington) 6-4, 6-1

Dubs

Petros Chrysochos / Bar Botzer (Wake Forest) bt Piers Foley / Mitch Stewart (Washington) 6-2

#8 Southern California bt #9 Oklahoma State 4-1

1. #11 Brandon Holt (S California) (ATP=922 CH=902) bt #88 Julian Cash (Oklahoma St) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3

6. #125 Luke Hammond (Oklahoma St) v Jake Devine (S California) (CH=1659) 6-7(4), 6-4, 4-3 susp

Dubs

1. Julian Cash / Luke Hammond (Oklahoma St) bt Brandon Holt / Riley Smith (S California) 6-2

#6 Texas A&M bt #11 Florida 4-2

6. Barney Smith (Texas A&M) v McClain Kessler (Florida) (ATP=1592) 6-1, 4-6, 4-2 susp

Dubs

3. Valentin Vacherot / Barney Smith (Texas A&M) bt Johannes Ingildsen / Chase Perez-Blanco (Florida) 6-2

QF

#6 Texas A&M bt #3 North Carolina 4-3

6. Blaine Boyden (N Carolina) bt Barney Smith (Texas A&M) 6-3, 7-6(3)

Dubs

3. Simon Soendergaard / Mac Kiger (N Carolina) bt Barney Smith / Valentin Vacherot (Texas A&M) 6-4

SF

#7 UCLA bt #6 Texas A&M 4-2

Dubs

3. Maxime Cressy / Bryce Pereira (UCLA) bt Barney Smith / Valentin Vacherot (Texas A&M) 6-3

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Coup Droit wrote:
I was just wondering, I know that the first page of this thread (and each year's college thread) has the definitive list of GB players who are currently signed up in college tennis programmes in the US.

Would it also be a good idea to have a list (a one-off list) of the current GB players (who are ATP/WTA ranked maybe) who are a product of the US college system? Maybe just below (or here, now). i.e. a list of the ex-college players in 2018 pro-tennis. (Or also including current college players?)

I was trying to tot up on the train and thought it would be good if there was a reference point.

Anyway, congrats to Jack Findel-Hawkins who is, so far, this year's star graduate - going from unranked to 25k semi-finalist in the space of a couple of weeks.

Cameron and Ed and Lloyd (and Joe in dubs) obviously are already established successes. Luke Johson doing well too. (And current students such as Ryan P, Julian, Andy Watson, Paul Jubb, Luke Hammond, and others, are very good prospects).

NB Congrats to Ryan P on being named AAC Player of the Week (not sure 'of the week' is such a big accolade but it's a super picture )

pbs.twimg.com/media/DU0IIwuW0AERhFj.jpg

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Friday 16th of February 2018 04:49:06 PM

I think having a successful college career is one thing but what defines successful ATP or WTA transition another.

I felt Luke Bambridge was very candid in his interview with Mike C and was spot on in terms of his self analysis and what defines transition to the main tour in doubles and singles.

Cam has been our first and arguably only successful transition from college to the main tour. I dont think Ed would meet Lukes definition or expectation of success although obviously he and Joe are working in it.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

My point was more to have a reference list than to re-enter the debate as to college being a good route or not.

However, I don't think we can bash college by saying Cameron is our only successful transition.

Because the point is that we have hardly any successful transitions outside of college either.

I mean, of our top 10 players today, 3 came via college. The fact that Ed and Lloyd are no huge great shakes (on a global scale) is just the same as saying that Alex Ward and Brydan Klein and even Liam Broady are no great shakes either.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

I dont think there is any question that college Tennis is a good route to the main tour as Cam has shown, you just have to be good enough, in one of the best college programmes and generally too good to make it worth while staying the full 4 years, the best players are a good test for very good 18 year olds and elite college juniors can dominate college tennis, win at futures level and enter challengers build up a decent rank and leave.

Most of our players do not go with a view to following that trajectory which is fine. Those that do well but dont persistently feature in the top 5 college players nationally as juniors may come out of college as 22 year olds do well in futures but then struggle to crack futures and generally fail to make top 200. They might not be able to earn a living but they will still be in the top 10 players in the U.K. for as long as they can afford to play. Of course many of our players go straight to futures at ITF level and achieve a similar level, arguably college would be a way of getting to the same level with added value.

Believe me they are all mighty fine Tennis players to get into college tennis on a scholarship is a fabulous achievement in its own right. It is very much a personal decision about what the individual wants and the resources they have to facilitate. Cam and Kyle have transitioned in different ways but what they do have in common is they were both very talented juniors.

Now if you are considering the best mechanism by which to become a main tour pro doubles player and where college tennis fits in that would be an interesting debate

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

It may be a little while before I get a list of pro players together - life is a bit hectic at the moment.

However, here are the latest college rankings

Women

31 - Emily Arbuthnott - Stanford

84 - Lauryn John-Baptiste - Arizona State

98 - Sabrina Federici - Texas Tech

105 - Eden Richardson - Louisiana State

Dubs

1 - Emily Arbuthnott - Stanford

21 - Sabrina Federici - Texas Tech

40 - Megan Davies - South Carolina

49 - Emma Wilson - Freso State

49 - Georgia Lawson - Fresno State

Men

18 - Aswin Lizen - Virginia

27 - Alastair Gray - Texas Christian

54 - Ryan Peniston - Memphis

58 - Henry Pattenm - North Carolina-Asheville

67 - Julian Cash - Oklahoma State

81 - Josh Goodger - Tulsa

103 - Ricky Hernandez-Tong - New Mexico

106 - Josef Dodridge - Wisconsin

Dubs

4 - Josef Dodridge - Wisconsin

13 - Alastair Gray - Texas Christian

17 - Charlie Broom - Dartmouth

33 - Alex Sendegeya - Texas Tech

38 - Luke Hammond - Oklahoma State

38 _ Julian Cash - Oklahoma Statre

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

New rankings:

Women

33 - Emily Arbuthnott - Stanford

82 - Sabrina Federici - Texas Tech

83 - Lauryn John-Baptiste - Arizona State (v impressed to see Lauryn playing 1 in PAC12 as a freshman)

121 - Megan Davies - South Carolina

Dubs

3 - Emily Arbuthnott - Stanford

14 - Sabrina Federici - Texas Tech

27 - Emma Wilson - Fresno State

27 - Georgia Lawson - Fresno State

49 - Elise Van Huevelen - Iowa

50 - Eden Richardson - Louisiana State

63 - Megan Davies - South Carolina

Men

28 - Aswin Lizen - Virginia

30 - Alastair Gray - Texas Christian

55 - Henry Patten - North Carolina-Asheville

63 - Ryan Peniston - Memphis

71 - Josh Goodger - Tulsa

77 - Ewan Moore - Tulane

78 - Julian Cash - Oklahoma State

97 - Sam Philp - Mercer

112 - Josef Dodridge - Wisconsin

Dubs

4 - Josef Dodridge - Wisconsin

20 - Alastair Gray - Texas Christian

30 - Julian Cash - Oklahoma State

30 - Luke Hammond - Oklahoma State

36 - Charlie Broom - Dartmouth

51 - Will Davies - Iowa

70 - Alex Sendegeya - Texas Tech

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Outside of UCLA, USC, Stanford and Cal coming in with JCH of 211 means you will be a top player as a freshman in any of the other PAC 12 programmes. Lauryn will as a consequence of playing no 1 for the sun devils will get some decent opportunities to beat ranked opponents, and maintain a decent rank. In that respect Arizona State which takes sport (and partying) seriously is a good choice.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Lauryn J-B (at Arizona) has been named conference player of the week for the second time:

"With the honor, she becomes the first woman this season to claim it twice and only the third Pac-12 tennis player regardless of gender to claim multiple of-the-week honors in 2018 along with Geerts and one other player from Stanford."

thesundevils.com/news/2018/3/20/mens-tennis-sun-devil-tennis-sweeps-pac-12-player-of-the-week.aspx

Oakland2002 · All-time great

It is interesting that the article refers to the other player from Stanford. As has been pointed out on a few occasions they recruited last years Wimbledon Junior champion Axel Geller (who I am sure will be a top player), they were already lead by an alpha male in the 6'5" Tom Fawcett who when I saw them play was loud on court, fist pumping etc... appropriate but the antithesis of Kyle. Good for college tennis probably solid Futures level/challenger qualifying.

I just wondered how he would cope and or whether or not he would be displaced and it surprised me that his response has to been to step up and is the "other player from Stanford" winning back to back player of the week.

Anyway much more important and relevant congratulations to Lauryn on her great start to college tennis and of course Jack Malloy has also had a great start to his career in the PAC 12, he cliched victory in last weekends BNP Open Collegiate Tennis Championship at Indian Wells for Cal beating ASU in the final.

Now that's the way to add value to an event there is no reason why British tennis could do the same by hosting a BUCS team final around the later stages of one of the summer challengers!

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Wednesday 21st of March 2018 05:43:17 AM

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Wednesday 21st of March 2018 05:44:46 AM

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Latest Rankings:

Women

40 - Emily Arbuthnott - Stanford

56 - Lauryn John-Baptiste - Arizona State

78 - Sabrina Federici - Texas Tech

120 - Eden Richardson - Louisiana State

Dubs

3 - Emily Arbuthnott - Stanford

8 - Sabrina Federici - Texas Tech

27 - Eden Richardson - Louisiana State

36 - Emma Wilson - Fresno State

36 - Georgia Lawson - Fresno State

47 - Elise Van Huevelen - Iowa

48 - Lauryn John-Baptiste - Arizona State

65 - Megan Davies - South Carolina

Men

32 - Aswin Lizen - Virginia

33 - Alastair Gray - Texas Christian

36 - Ryan Peniston - Memphis

68 - Julian Cash - Oklahoma State

69 - Henry Patten - North Carolina-Asheville

81 - Josh Goodger - Tulsa

91 - Andrew Watson - Memphis

92 - Ewan Moore - Tulane

101 - Sam Philp - Mercer

Dubs

5 - Josef Dodridge - Wisconsin

26 - Alastair Gray - Texas Christian

29 - Julian Cash - Oklahoma State

29 - Luke Hammond - Oklahoma State

37 - Ryan Peniston - Memphis

37 - Andrew Watson - Memphis

40 - Will Davies - Iowa

49 - Charlie Broom - Dartmouth

So this week in the singles we've gained Eden Richardson and Andrew Watson and lost Megan Davies and Josef Dodge. In the dubs we've gained Lauryn John-Baptiste, Ryan Peniston and Andrew Watson and lost Alex Sendegeya

Elegant Point · Satellite level

For those of you interested in following Div 1 tennis there is a new site : collegetennisranks.com run by Chris Halioris

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Thanks for that, quite a nice over view of what coming up in the SEC, South Carolina are looking like the programme on the up, particularly the ladies perhaps due to their understated recruitment in the U.K. of Megan Davies and the men are benefitting from Paul Jubbs arrival 12-2 in singles 10-2 at the no 2 slot a pretty impressive start to 2018.

It is the women however who are blasting all before them, 7-0 in the SEC and ranked No 10 nationally. Megan Davies a bit like Emily did for Stanford giving them impressive depth st No 5 and contributing to a dominant doubles pair 10-2 in the No 3 slot with regular partner up until now a double specialist Rachael Rohrabacher but this seasons no 6.

A chance in the NCAA ?

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Coup Droit wrote:
I was just wondering, I know that the first page of this thread (and each year's college thread) has the definitive list of GB players who are currently signed up in college tennis programmes in the US.

Would it also be a good idea to have a list (a one-off list) of the current GB players (who are ATP/WTA ranked maybe) who are a product of the US college system? Maybe just below (or here, now). i.e. a list of the ex-college players in 2018 pro-tennis. (Or also including current college players?)

I was trying to tot up on the train and thought it would be good if there was a reference point.

Anyway, congrats to Jack Findel-Hawkins who is, so far, this year's star graduate - going from unranked to 25k semi-finalist in the space of a couple of weeks.

Cameron and Ed and Lloyd (and Joe in dubs) obviously are already established successes. Luke Johson doing well too. (And current students such as Ryan P, Julian, Andy Watson, Paul Jubb, Luke Hammond, and others, are very good prospects).

Just put up 4 names to start the thread. If anyone wants to list names for me to include, please do and I'll add them, although there may be a bit of a delay as I'm v busy just now.