The Lehigh men’s tennis team put their skills to the test at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Atlantic Regional Championships in mid-October in Philadelphia.
The tournament brought together top talent from across the region, providing the Mountain Hawks with valuable competition and experience.
The ITA Regional Championships serve as a qualifying event for the ITA Patriot League Masters Qualifier, hosted by Army West Point on Oct. 27.
Each school in the Patriot League sent one doubles tandem and two singles players to the regional tournament, for a chance to win and play at the ITA Conference Masters Championship, which will take place from Nov. 7-10 in San Diego.
Graduate assistant coach Lennart Lehmann said he was satisfied with the team’s performance and thinks the Atlantic Regional Championship tournament was a great experience.
“There were some very strong teams, and we competed well,” Lehmann said.
Senior Marc Blekhman and Sean Jaeger played doubles, where they took down Colgate with a 6-2 win, advancing to the semifinals in the tournament. In their final match against Bucknell, Jaeger and Blekhman lost in a final tiebreaker, 7-6.
Lehmann said Jaeger stood out since he won the opening round in a tight match and also played well in doubles together with Blekhman.
Blekhman said he feels like he could have contributed more.
“(Jaeger) and I lost a tough doubles match where we weren’t on our best level,” Blekhman said. “It was disappointing, but we both took many positive lessons from the experience, especially as we progressed toward the start of the spring season.”
Jaeger said the tournament was a good test for the team to see what level they are at, and where they need to continue to improve going into the spring season.
Blekhman said first-year Ofer Hacohen impressed him during the game when he snapped back from a large deficit in the first set of his first round.
“He loosened up, moved on from his previous mistakes and focused on the task at hand which was finding his best level,” Blekhman said. “He showed great positive energy that gave everyone on the team a large boost of confidence.”
Lehmann said while the tournament had some really outstanding moments, the most crucial thing for the team was honing in on their mental toughness.
“This is what tennis is all about,” Lehmann said. “It is a mental game, and you have to stay focused all the time,”
Now, the team’s focus shifts to translating this tournament experience into sustained success on the court.
“We have a tough schedule and obviously (want to) be prepared well,” Lehmann said. “The fall gives a good chance to show what we have to improve and work on our weak spots.”
The team will continue to participate in invitational tournaments and non-conference matches, providing further opportunities for player development and cohesiveness before the start of the critical Patriot League schedule in the spring.
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