Horned Frogs Garner Six Preseason Rankings
9/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
FORT WORTH, Texas - Two singles player, a doubles duo and two newcomers on the TCU men's tennis team garnered spots in the preseason ITA College Tennis Rankings.
Senior Nick Chappell was the only player on multiple polls by teaming up with fellow senior Will Stein for a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the doubles poll, as well as a No. 34 ranking in the singles poll. Senior Facundo Lugones joins Chappell in the singles poll by checking in at No. 5, while newcomers Guillermo Nunez and Cameron Norrie earned No. 2 and No. 3 rankings, respectively, in the Newcomer/Freshman poll.
"Even though pre-season rakings don't mean much it is nice to see our top players in the different polls," coach David Roditi said. "Pre-season ranking wise, this is our best start and I believe some of our other players will get in as the season goes on.
"These rankings show how competitive and strong the Big 12 conference will be. The Big 12 has three of the top 5 singles players, three of the top 5 doubles teams and two of the top 3 freshman coming in."
Chappell was named to the All-Big 12 singles team and the All-Big 12 doubles team with Stein a year ago. The duo led the team with an overall doubles record of 24-12 and were ranked in the top 20 in the doubles poll all season long. Chappell defeated five ranked opponents in singles action and brought down the No. 5 player in the country this past spring on his way to his first bid in the NCAA singles championships.
Lugones was one of five players to record over 20 wins last year and ranked as high as No. 60 after starting the 2014 season 10-1. The Argentina native played at No. 2 and No. 3 singles positions for the Frogs and defeated three ranked opponents in the spring.
Nunez and Norrie are two of the highest ranked junior players to ever to play at TCU. The duo were both ranked in the top 10 in the world and have played in the junior championships at all four of the Grand Slams: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Chappell, Stein, Nunez and Norrie will all compete at the Saint Francis/ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa, Okla., on Sept. 28-Oct. 5. Chappell earned a spot in the main draw of singles and the main draw of doubles with Stein, while Nunez and Norrie will playing in the qualifying draws of singles and doubles.
Stein will also compete in the pre-qualifying draw of singles along with Trey Daniel, Hudson Blake, Blake Wiggins and Trevor Johnson. Daniel and Arnau Dachs will also take part in the qualifying doubles draw.
Players Mentioned
