Coming into the year ranked No. 6 and No. 20 in ITA’s preseason poll, respectively, the Duke women’s and men’s tennis programs, respectively, have played up to their billing. With multiple ranked wins, including then-No. 6 Stanford and No. 11 Miami, the women have relied on the play of senior standout Chloe Beck. However, the youth of the men’s program, specifically freshman Pedro Rodenas, has helped the team earn a 7-1 ACC record.
Chloe Beck
Simply put, Beck has been a star for Duke in 2023. With a 17-1 record in her singles matches on court one and just one loss during doubles, the Watkinsville, Ga., native is in elite company in the ACC. Even more impressive, Beck has dropped just five sets in her singles competitions on the year, proving why she is ranked second in the country. In the team’s recent matchup against Syracuse March 24, Beck collected her 100th victory, the 29th Blue Devil to reach that mark.
Last year, Beck played her way into her spot on court one, moving from second singles to first midway through the season. As a testament to the work she put in during her junior season, the singles sensation ranked in the top 15 of players nationwide all year, resulting in 2022 ITA All-American and 2022 All-ACC First Team honors. In her senior campaign, she has certainly met, if not exceeded, the lofty expectations of the national tennis landscape. Going forward, Beck will look to play herself into the NCAA Singles tournament as a top seed with the regular season drawing to a close.
Pedro Rodenas
Duke head coach Ramsey Smith could not have envisioned a more seamless transition to NCAA men's tennis for Rodenas. Sporting a 17-2 singles record to date, the Madrid native has plenty of wins in his back pocket as he continues to prove himself on the national stage. The freshman’s most impressive victory was perhaps his triumph against Louisville's Natan Rodrigues. A convincing 6-4, 6-3 victory over the then-No. 44 player in the country is no pushover, especially on an away court. Like the victory over Rodrigues, the vast majority of Rodenas’s successes have come in straight sets. With just four of his 17 victories needing a third set to settle the score, the freshman has earned his national singles ranking, sitting at No. 98.
What’s more, Rodenas has competed alongside senior Garrett Johns to lead Duke’s doubles on court one. The freshman-senior duo has come out on top in 11 of 13 finished matches, ranking 71st in men’s doubles nationally.
The success is nothing new for the freshman – he has proven himself on the international stage in singles and doubles, placing as a semifinalist in both at the Wimbledon Junior Championships in 2022. The Blue Devils will continue to rely on Rodenas’s consistency as a dual player as they look to compete for an ACC title.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.