Sept. 22, 2014 THE RUNDOWN
NAPA, Calif. - With his third victory in three days, Baylor men's tennis junior
Julian Lenz earned a spot in the singles main draw at the Napa Valley 50k Challenger on Monday.
Playing at the Napa Country Club, Lenz cruised past Mico Santiago of the United State, 6-2, 6-1, to snag one of four qualifying spots in the main draw, which starts on Tuesday.
Lenz, ranked No. 1 in singles in the ITA, was competing in the 32-man singles qualifying draw at the Napa Valley 50k Challenger, a USTA Men's Professional Pro Circuit Challenger Series Event.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Lenz has won all three matches in straight sets.
• Lenz has beaten Noah Rubin (No. 587), Daniel Garza (No. 518) and Santiago (No. 867) over the past three days.
TOP QUOTE #1
"It was another good day at the office for Julian. He has handled all the adversity that he has faced with great poise and professionalism." - head coach Matt Knoll on Julian Lenz's Monday victory
TOP QUOTE #2
"JP Smith is a guy we know quite well from playing him at Tennessee. It is definitely going to be a step up from Julian, because JP is a guy who has been on the tour for a couple years and had success." - Knoll on Tuesday's match vs. John-Patrick Smith
TOP QUOTE #3
"I think this experience helps Julian in a lot of ways. It is good for him to get out here in this environment to see what the next level looks like. I am excited to see what he does in the main draw." - Knoll on what Lenz is learning form experience
WHAT'S NEXT
Lenz will be back in action at the Napa Valley Challenger on Tuesday as he former Tennessee player John-Patrick Smith in the first round of the main draw. Smith is currently ranked No. 229 in the ATP World Tour rankings. The match will be on court after a match that begins at 10 a.m. PT.
