The men's tennis team won't soon forget about the bad luck it had in the NCAA tournament in May. Although the Blue Devils were a stable factor in the top 10 for most of the season, they found themselves seeded in the 13-16 bracket in the NCAA tournament.
As if that weren't bad enough, Duke got the worst draw of any team--it had to play top-ranked and undefeated Stanford in the opening round of the tournament. Thus the great season ended with a first-round loss to the Cardinal.
The graduation of two key players from that team--Chris Pressley and Philippe Moggio, both Trinity '95--was a big loss for the Blue Devils. Pressley, a three-time All-American, had been Duke's cornerstone at No. 1 for two years, while Moggio was a motivator for the team and a solid contributor at the No. 5 singles spot.
But the team still has a core group of players, as well as the help from a good recruiting class, so it should be able to continue making waves in the top 10.
Most of the players have been sharpening their skills this summer in satellite tournaments in various locations throughout the world. Various college players, as well as some professionals, often compete in these satellite tournaments.
Seniors Rob Chess and Peter Ayers are currently in Missouri competing in a satellite. During the first week of the tournament, Chess advanced two rounds in the tournament while Ayers won in one round. They paired up in doubles competition, but fell in the first round.
"They did pretty well--those tournaments are tough," head coach Jay Lapidus said. "[The satellites] give them a chance to play more matches and get some more experience. It's a good chance for them to start to see where they stand against all these other guys."
Juniors Adam Gusky and Sven Koehler have gone to different sides of the world to obtain some playing experience. After spending the first summer session in Durham, Gusky is now playing at tournaments in France. Koehler recently began play in a satellite in Malaysia.
Sophomore Ramin Pejan should be a major contributor this year to the Blue Devils. A Canadian native, he is currently sharpening his game while playing tournaments in the Vancouver area.
But the three incoming freshmen should also make a big impact on this talented team. Bryan Getz joined Chess and Ayers at the satellite in Missouri. Freshman Jordan Wile is still classified as a junior player, so he has been playing in the National Clay Courts and other top junior tournaments.
In its third recruit, Duke will add some more international flavor to its team. Dmitriy Muzkya hails from the Ukraine, and is currently competing in the Davis Cup for his country.
"I definitely think it's one of my best recruiting classes," Lapidus said. "All three of them are probably in the top-15 recruits coming out this year. I'm really excited about getting a chance to work with these guys."
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