NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Coming off a successful fall season which saw seven tournament titles won over four events. In recognition of their strong start to the season, five Irish individuals are ranked in the top-125 nationally for singles as well as boasting two doubles teams in the top-50 as announced by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 14).
After being ranked 19th heading into the fall slate of competition, Alex Lebedev leads the Irish and is 16th overall. William Howells also breaks the top-50, entering the spring season ranked 49th in the country for singles. Richard Ciamarra (63rd), Grayson Broadus (86th) and Matt Gamble (112th) are also ranked.
Lebedev was most recently crowned champion of the consolation draw at the 2018 ITA Fall Nationals, having qualified for a spot at the tournament by advancing to the quarterfinal round of the ITA All-American Championships earlier in the season.
In his last tournament, Howells advanced to the final round before falling to teammate Axel Nefve for the Dick Vitale Clay Court Invitational Championship by a 6-2, 6-3 score. That same weekend, Broadus and Gamble were named Gopher Invitational Champions in a two player-style tournament. With each round depending on the results of each participants’ singles match as well as the combined doubles, the pair took the crown. As a two-man team, the duo came out victorious four times in the best-of-three style, defeating each opposing team 2-1. Each round in the best-of-three series included one doubles and two singles match-ups. Broadus went undefeated in singles and Gamble came out on top in all but one.
Ciamarra and his doubles partner, Tristan McCormick are 11th in the nation after finishing the fall season with an Oracle ITA Midwest Regional Championship under their belt. Broadus and Gamble also paired up this season to win the Gopher Invitational and are ranked 49th overall heading into the spring.
Dating back to their last contest as a duo, Ciamarra and McCormick clinched a spot at the ITA Fall Nationals as the reigning Midwest Region doubles team champions.
The Irish open their dual schedule at Kentucky on January 19, 2019 before heading to Nashville, Tennessee for a matchup against Vanderbilt. The team opens their home competition February 1-3, 2019 as they host Virginia, Texas A&M and IUPUI.
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