Qualifying is well underway for the men’s tennis team at the USTA Futures tournament in Birmingham’s Highland Park, with the first three rounds already in the books. One Crimson Tide player remains in the hunt for a qualifying spot in the 32-man field, while sophomore Becker O’Shaughnessey and senior Daniil Proskura have already earned places in the main draw.
Proskura and O’Shaughnessey have already had some success this year in both singles and doubles, and Proskura spoke confidently about himself and his doubles partner.
“We always practice hard and try our best. We played a little bit more than other guys this summer, and I think that helped a lot,” Proskura said. “I have confidence in our games, and I feel like we’re both playing well right now.”
In the qualifying rounds, the Crimson Tide had a successful first day, with freshmen Hayes Brewer, Saxon Buehning and Nikko Madregallejo, and juniors Andrew Goodwin and Stuart Kenyon all advancing. Buehning and Brewer then fell in the second round, while Madregallejo and Goodwin lost in the third round. Kenyon will play Louisville recruit Pally Ray on Monday for the right to advance to the main draw.
In the first round of the main draw, Proskura will play seventh-seed Nikala Scholtz, an Ole Miss sophomore and two-time All-American. O’Shaughnessey will face Andrew Carter.
The team spent last week practicing at Indian Hills Country Club and North River Yacht Club in order to prepare for the clay courts at Highland Park. Clay courts are very different from the hard courts the team plays and practices on, with hit balls bouncing slower and higher.
“It’s something new, unfamiliar,” Coach George Husack said. “But the reason why we’re playing this is because it’s different, and we can still get a lot out of it.”
Some of the notable players in the tournament include Evan King, the 2012 and 2013 Big Ten Athlete of the Year, and Chase Buchanan, the 2010 and 2011 Big Ten Athlete of the Year. Buchanan could meet O’Shaughnessey in the quarterfinals, while King and Proskura could meet in the semifinals.
Husack emphasized the importance of good practices when preparing for a tournament such as the USTA Futures, which includes many of the country’s top collegiate players and other young players that represent the future of professional tennis.
“In the end, confidence breeds success. But at the same time, practice breeds confidence,” Husack said. “They’re all working on having really good practices, and when it comes time for the tournament, the show is on.”
