Two Lions Set Themselvs Above the Pack at Princeton Tennis Tournament

Rarely does a first-year player find immediate success in Division I college athletics.

Usually, the climb is gradual. The new player slowly becomes acclimated with the new level of competition and, after time, is able to notch some victories. Sometimes, though, a first-year busts on to the scene and makes an immediate mark, as was the the case with Lions first-year tennis player Rajeev Emany last weekend.

In a weekend that saw athletic contests resume around the country, members of the Columbia men's tennis squad traveled to Princeton to compete in the 33rd annual Farnsworth/Princeton Invitational.

Columbia junior Oscar Chow was the Lions' best hope to capture victory entering the weekend, but it was Emany who reached the semifinals. Chow, who was the number two seed in the tournament, was the defending champion. After defeating his first round opponent, Nick Benjamin of Princeton, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, Chow was unable to overcome Yale's Chris Shackelton, falling 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.

"There were better players this year. I never go in expecting to win. I wanted to play better, but it doesn't work out all the time," Chow said. As for his own play, Chow felt it was not up to his usual standards.

"I just didn't have it. I wasn't as confident as usual. Maybe I was a little rusty from this summer. But we have a few more tournaments, a big one and some small ones, to get me back to form," he said.

Other Lions who won their opening matches were sophomore Alan Bohane and senior Pavle Jefferson. Both players defeated competitors from Rutgers in straight sets. Bohane knocked off Chris Kushner 6-4, 7-5, while Jefferson beat Maarten Vissers 6-3, 6-4. Senior Ethan Farbman outlasted Princeton's Tim Fuzesi 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, while the aforementioned Emany overcame an early loss to defeat Francisco Velasquez of St. Joseph's 1-6, 6-0, 6-3.

All of the players, save Emany, fell in their second round matches. Emany advanced all the way to the semifinals where he fell to Princeton's Darren Joe, the eventual tournament champion and number one seed. On his way, he defeated Princeton's Scott Stewart 7-6, 6-0 in his second match and third seeded Fanda Stejskal of Penn 7-6, 6-2 in his third round match.

The tournament was the first taste of the collegiate experience for Emany.

"I didn't know what to expect," he said. "It was my first tournament at the college level, and I wanted to get a feel for the level of the other players. I wanted to see what the next four years will be like."

Despite his lack of experience, nerves were not a problem for the first-year.

"I prepared well. [Coach] Bid [Goswami] had us practicing in a lot of match situations the last couple weeks. I was mentally prepared," he said.

In doubles action, the Lions failed to achieve greater success than they did in singles play. The fourth-seeded team of Chow and sophomore Rohan Saikia won their first round match before losing in the second round. Farbman and sophomore Yoku Kiuchi also were victorious in the first round.

Eight members of the squad are in action again this weekend when they head to Rhode Island for the Brown Invitational. The event is an individual one, much like the Princeton Invitational. The lone team event of the fall season is the following weekend at the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament at Harvard.