2008 Woodie Awards
Gamecock men's tennis start 2008 season off perfect
After injury plagued 2007 season, USC volleys back for 6-0 start to year
Austin Collins
Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: Sports
It was a rough 2007 season for the South Carolina men's tennis team. Missing their top three players for the majority of the year, the Gamecocks struggled to an 11-14 overall record (2-10 SEC), and missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in 13 seasons.
Coach Kent DeMars' squad has bounced back thus far in 2008, posting a 6-0 record during non-conference play. DeMars, in his 24th year at South Carolina, is pleased with the way his team is playing.
"I'm pretty excited just because I've got everybody healthy," DeMars said. "My one, two and three last year were out for most of the year. We are a team that thinks we can get to the final 16. We are pretty talented."
The talent starts with senior Yevgeny Supeko, a transfer from Texas A&M who missed all of last season while recovering from two wrist surgeries. The Daytona Beach, Fla., native, once rated as the top junior player in the U.S., has been playing at the No. 1 singles position this season and is off to a 4-0 start.
Accompanying Supeko at the top of the rotation is sophomore Pedro Campos. Currently rated as the 74th best player in the country, Campos is a player who DeMars says is "capable of playing with the best in the country."
Hailing from Brazil, Campos has played at No. 1 and No.2 in singles for the Gamecocks this year, and has posted an unblemished 6-0 record.
Another player who DeMars says will challenge for the top position is sophomore Diego Cubas, also from Brazil. The former No. 1 junior player in the world has a 4-1 singles record so far this season.
DeMars is pleased in the quality of his entire rotation, but says the strength of Supeko, Campos and Cubas at the top is something he has great confidence in.
"It doesn't matter where those three play," DeMars said. "They are all good, and they all mix. Some of them play better indoors than outdoors; some of them are better on fast courts than slow courts. I'll probably mix them up a bit, but they are all really, really good players."
Coach Kent DeMars' squad has bounced back thus far in 2008, posting a 6-0 record during non-conference play. DeMars, in his 24th year at South Carolina, is pleased with the way his team is playing.
"I'm pretty excited just because I've got everybody healthy," DeMars said. "My one, two and three last year were out for most of the year. We are a team that thinks we can get to the final 16. We are pretty talented."
The talent starts with senior Yevgeny Supeko, a transfer from Texas A&M who missed all of last season while recovering from two wrist surgeries. The Daytona Beach, Fla., native, once rated as the top junior player in the U.S., has been playing at the No. 1 singles position this season and is off to a 4-0 start.
Accompanying Supeko at the top of the rotation is sophomore Pedro Campos. Currently rated as the 74th best player in the country, Campos is a player who DeMars says is "capable of playing with the best in the country."
Hailing from Brazil, Campos has played at No. 1 and No.2 in singles for the Gamecocks this year, and has posted an unblemished 6-0 record.
Another player who DeMars says will challenge for the top position is sophomore Diego Cubas, also from Brazil. The former No. 1 junior player in the world has a 4-1 singles record so far this season.
DeMars is pleased in the quality of his entire rotation, but says the strength of Supeko, Campos and Cubas at the top is something he has great confidence in.
"It doesn't matter where those three play," DeMars said. "They are all good, and they all mix. Some of them play better indoors than outdoors; some of them are better on fast courts than slow courts. I'll probably mix them up a bit, but they are all really, really good players."
Be the first to comment on this story