Men’s tennis prepares for biggest fall tournament

All fall, the Columbia men’s tennis team has been gearing up for the Wilson/ITA Regional Championships, the most important tournament of the fall season. The singles finalists and the doubles winners all advance to play in the ITA National Indoor Championships, one of the nation’s most prestigious college tournaments. The Lions have entered the maximum six singles players and three doubles teams into the main draws for both singles and doubles, and are ready to build on yet another stellar fall season.

“Every school in our region has to have at least one player in the draw,” head coach Bid Goswami said. “They play the tournament in the fall and then the winners go to National Indoors. Last year, Bogdan [Borta] went in singles, and the year before Bogdan and Justin Chow won the doubles.”
The Lions avoided the perilous journey of having to qualify singles players for the event, as all of their entrants were awarded direct entry into the main draw due to the strength of their ranking and fall play.

“It’s the biggest fall tournament,” continued Goswami. “It’s an indoor tournament, so that gives us a little bit of help since we play mostly indoors, and the last few years it has been good for us. Last year, we had five of our players reach the round of 16, and doubles did well too. Two reached the semis and one reached the finals. If you tell me we’ll have that again, I will take that any day.”

Indeed, the Lions had an outstanding regional tournament last fall, as they were the only school to put five players in the round of 16, and the only school with two semifinalists.

Last year’s two finalists, Borta Harvard’s and Chris Clayton, have both graduated, so it is guaranteed that the Northeast Region will be sending two new players to the Indoor National Championships.

“There are some old people and some new faces,” Goswami said. “Mihai [Nichifor] and Jon [Wong] are both coming off the All-American, and Mihai had a great win [over the No. 17 player] and both are fit and ready to go.”

Sophomore Ekin Sezgen did well last season, reaching the round of 16 as a freshman, and continuing his stellar play into the spring where he played no. 4 singles. This fall, Sezgen struggled to find his form until the past weekend.

“Ekin started playing well at our event,” Goswami said, “and I think he is also ready, after not playing well earlier.”

Fellow sophomore Haig Schneiderman has had mixed results this fall, losing some very close matches, including one in the prequalifying draw at the All-American Invitational.

“Haig has had some tough breaks,” Goswami said. “He wanted to play the Columbia Classic after playing in the All-American Invitational. He is a bit under the weather, but he should be fine by Friday.”

Rajeev Deb-Sen, also a sophomore, did not play in the Regional Championships last fall, but has played his way into the top six after a strong spring season.

“For Rajeev, it’s his first Regional,” Goswami said. “This time last year he was not in the top six, but he came on strong in January and spring season, so now he is definitely going to play.”

The final singles entrant for the Lions is freshman Cyril Bucher from Switzerland. Bucher was a finalist in the “B” draw at the Columbia Classic.

“Cyril Bucher played well in our tournament and got the sixth spot,” the head coach said. “He is a good indoors player and I am looking forward to seeing him play. For the freshmen it’s been a hectic fall. We haven’t really had a chance to rest. Sometimes it takes them one semester to really get their feet wet.”

The Lions will also be sending three doubles teams. Last year’s no. 2 team of Wong and Schneiderman will play in the doubles draw, as will Nichifor and freshman Nathaniel Gery, and the Lions’ final duo of Deb-Sen and junior Kevin Kung.

The Lions and Goswami have lofty goals for the tournament, which will also feature all of the other Ivy League schools, including top rivals Harvard and Yale.

“I hope we have good results,” Goswami said. “I hope one wins singles and we win the doubles, also.”

The Wilson/ITA Regional Championships get underway on Thursday with the qualifying draw and will last until Tuesday, Oct. 20.