In the newest iteration of Blast from the Past, the Blue Zone takes a look back at Duke men's tennis' first ACC championship in 1982:
In April 1982, Duke men’s tennis won its first ACC Championship, marking the beginning of a longstanding tradition of success. The Blue Devils won 23-of-27 possible matches to take the crown, rolling through tough competition.
Duke’s path to the title was formidable. Following an impressive 31-4 season, the Blue Devils still trailed behind No. 2 Clemson and top-ranked North Carolina when entering the championship.
But rankings are meant to be broken. In singles, Duke’s Todd Ryska handled North Carolina’s Josh Sharner in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, and Russell Gache handled Tar Heel junior John Grigg for the sixth singles spot. Clemson proved no match for Duke, as the Tigers fell 6-2, 6-4 in the final match with over 2,500 spectators present.
The championship format aggregated individual match scores in both singles and doubles to determine each school’s overall placement. By the end of the tournament, the Blue Devils had secured six individual titles — the highest among all competing schools — as well as an impressive sweep of all three doubles titles. Duke victories ranged across the board, with wins from the No. 2, No. 5 and No. 6 singles, again demonstrating the team’s roster depth and dominating strategic play.
“I’m ecstatic with the way the guys played,” then-head coach John Lebar said. “After all the highs we’ve had this year, it was so impressive that the guys could get up one more time.”
It was ultimately the duo of junior Marc Flur and senior Ross Dubins who sealed the deal for the Blue Devils, claiming victory against a talented Tiger duo of Mark Dickson and Richard Akel to bring home the title.
Freshman Chaim Arlosoroff was also instrumental to the Blue Devils’ performance, later becoming Duke’s first All-American and also named the 1982 ACC Tournament MVP. The singles ace took down Dickson with a barrage of aggressive passing shots.
“I kept coming to net, thinking that eventually [Arlosoroff] would break down and miss his passing shots,” Dickson said. “He didn’t.
The Tel Aviv, Israel, native has since been honored with a plaque on the Duke tennis wall of fame, staking a place for himself and his team in Blue Devil athletic history. The 1982 triumph laid the groundwork for a program that has since become a powerhouse in the ACC. Over the years, Duke men’s tennis has gone on to win a total of 12 ACC Championships, consistently reflecting the skill that first defined the 1982 squad. As the 2025 spring tennis season kicks up, expect the Blue Devils’ strong roster to continue building a legacy.
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