Oct. 14, 2005
Benedikt Dorsch the NCAA Singles Championship and College Player of the Year in America returned home from Germany in mid August. He started his professional career, based out of Miami Beach, Florida.
Completing his college career at Baylor University in Waco he achieved more honors than any other men's tennis player in American college history.
His answer to Boris Becker's recent claim that Germany doesn't produce champion tennis players is pure rubbish and disputed by Benedikt's statement, "I am a champion" said Dorsch. "I've proven that I can win at high levels, big matches, and I am the number one player in America universities for two straight years! I have been the best in all of the schools in America, for the past three years and I am a champion at this level. My teammate Benjamin Becker, from Orscholz German is also a champion and together we won the USA NCAA championships, we are both winners. Maybe Boris hasn't heard of me yet, but he will!"
Thanking Baylor head tennis coach Matt Knoll for recruiting him and bringing him to college, he was recently honored at Forest Hills Tennis Center, prior to the opening of the US Open. He is the only college player to be named ITA college "Player of the Year three years in a row. After receiving his award, Bene outlined his new career plans. Studying business at Baylor, Benedikt knows playing tennis professionally is much different than university tennis. "It's a business and when you start a new business you usually start at the bottom."
? He began his new career on tour by winning a $10,000 ITF men's event in Finland and raised his ranking to 529. The rest of the summer was spent playing German Club tennis for Burghausen where he went undefeated in both singles and doubles.
? On September 18th in Claremont California, Benedikt won again in the USTA Futures event and raised his ranking to 511 on the ATP. Hurricane Rita had canceled an ATP Challenger tournament he had entered. Wanting to play, Bene decided to travel coast to coast to California and had to win four matches to qualify. He won another fives straight matches to claim the crown in the $10,000 USTA event.
? Once again, having to qualify he headed back to Tulsa Oklahoma and an ATP $50,000 Challenger. Winning three matches he qualified and played his first match against American David Martin. Dorsch won in two sets. Next was th man who disposed of number one seed Bobby Reynolds, Santiago Gonzales of Mexico and Bene beat him in straight sets. Quarter finals put him against Czech player, CCCC, who took Bene to three sets before subcoming to Dorsch's strength. Saturday in the semi finals he faced American Jeff Morrison, seeded #3 in the tournament and ranked 132 on the ATP. Dorsch won in three sets. Next day, playing his ninth match, he lost in a tie breaker in the third set, 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (6) to Harel Levy for the championship.
? He shot up 186 places on the ATP ranking of 3 October and is currently ranked 363.
? His single's record this year is 23-2.
After finishing the tournament Bene had lunch with his college coach and mentor, Matt Knoll, and then hopped on a plane to be back in Waco to attend a 9:00 AM examination in his marketing class at Baylor, on Monday morning. Still needing a few credits to graduate in May 2007, while he has plans to be in Paris playing Roland Garros, Bene still wants to get that degree. After a few weeks in Miami working with Tarik, he is going to play four more tournaments in America before taking the winter off and getting ready for Australia.
