CAJUNS HEAD TO CHATTANOOGA, TENN. TO PLAY IN ICY HOT/ITA CHALLENGER

LOUISIANA La. – Six of Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns men’s tennis players will compete for an individual national title in the Icy Hot/ITA Challenger at the Champions Club in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The team of Robin Ley, Dusan Tabak, Chris Harfield, Shaun Ellison, Amanjot Singh and Evghenni Corduneanu qualified to represent UL Lafayette.

The Cajuns will be led by preseason 38th ranked Corduneanu. Corduneanu’s high rank, and impressive 8-2 record from last year’s tournament, gives him an automatic bid into the main draw which begins Oct. 7 and last until Oct. 10.

Last season Corduneanu battled through seven straight matches just to reach the main draw, before losing in straight sets to the 5th ranked player in the nation.

While Corduneanu has the shortest road to the national title, Amanjot Singh, the preseason’s 92nd ranked player, will begin his quest for the top spot in the qualifying round on Oct. 4-7. Last year Singh made it to through the pre-qualifying round before losing in the qualifying round.

Ley, Tabak, Harfield and Ellison will have to fight their way through the pre-qualifying round on Oct. 1-3. The foursome is coming off an unimpressive performance at the Baylor Intercollegiate, but head coach Justin McGrath said he feels that they should rebound well.

“After our performance at Baylor, we had a great week of practice,” McGrath said. “We’re now on the right track of accomplishing our goals, individually and as a team.”

Ley and Tabak will team up to participate in the pre-qualifying doubles round. They will be accompanied by Harfield and Ellison.

Corduneanu and Singh will begin, as a doubles team, in the qualifying round.

“We’re up against some stiff competition,” McGrath said. “This is the most prestigious tournament of the year, so all our guys are going to take it one match at a time. Hopefully we will return with the national championship.”

LOUISIANA SI