Alex Seaver '82 observes: "I still think Zimmerman can take any one of them!"

Ed. note: Seaver played on the very successful teams in the Sands era (3-time All American in '81-'83), and is currently co-chair of the Friends of Harvard Tennis.

Re: Meet the Incoming Harvard Tennis Class of 2011!

Looks like a great crew. Lesh and I will take any of them in dubs just give us 1 month notice.


Michael Zimmerman
PRENTICE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LP
623 Fifth Avenue -- 32nd Floor
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-756-8048
E-mail: michaelz@prenticecapital.com

Ed. note: Mike Zimmerman played on some of Harvard's finest teams in the early '90s, with fellow All Americans Albert Chang '93, Mike Shyjan '92. Boy, did Zim have a set of hands, and did they ever complement Shyjan's overwhelming power game. They made it to the finals of the Rolex National Indoor Championships. I don't think he'll need even a month, although our new frosh may have something to say about this! "Lesh" refers to Mark Leschly, son of former Danish Davis Cup star Jan Leschly. Mark captained the 1992 Harvard squad, and was himself the winner of the Region I Rolex Championships (circa '90?)before spending a year recovering from wrist surgery. DF

Meet the Incoming Harvard Tennis Class of 2011!

Aba (left) and Alexei (right) in the recent National Open in California, where Alexei made it to the finals, and Aba won the backdraw by winning seven matches in a row.


Meet Harvard's new freshman class:
Alphabetically, Alexei Chijoff-Evans (Texas), Will Guzick (South Carolina), Aba Omodele Lucien (California) and Tim Wu (Michigan).

Alexei, Will and Aba are currently ranked #23, #17, and #35 respectively in the nation. Tim Wu is a great prospect just making his way into the 18's competition.

Alexei Chijoff-Evans (Texas):

•Ranked Top 15 in the nation in 16's and 23 (so far) in 18's.
•Multiple Finalist/Semi Finalist at National Opens.
•Multiple wins over Top Five players.
•Ranked #5 in Texas in 16's and #1 in Texas in 18's (first year)


William Guzick, South Carolina:

•Won three USTA gold balls, including the Boys' 16s Singles Easter Bowl title
•Achieved a national ranking of #2 in Boys' 16s Singles and is currently ranked #19 in Boys' 18s Singles
•Named a two-time National High School All-American
•Led the Christ Church Episcopal School tennis team to five state titles


Aba Omodele Lucien (California):

•Finished 6th place in 14's Super National Hardcourts and went on to finish ranked #9 nationally for Boy's 14 2004.
•2005 West Coast Junior Championships winner
•2006 Easter Bowl quarterfinalist in singles and Bronze ball in Doubles.
•2006 Kalamazoo doubles quarterfinalist. Finished 2006 ranked top 30 nationally in singles and #5 in doubles.
•2007 Copper Bowl winner


Tim Wu (Michigan):

•#4 Midwest 16s 2006
•Easter Bowl Doubles Quarterfinalist 2006
•Regional Champion, All State (High School Tennis) 2006

All-Ivy honors... National Team Sportsmanship Award for May, and Senior Essay...

All-Ivy Honors:
•Chris Clayton, first team singles
•Gideon Valkin, second team singles
•Sasha Ermakov and Ashwin Kumar, first team doubles

•Harvard Men's team voted winner of the ITA National Team Sportmanship Award for the month of May, 2007

•Harvard selected Gideon Valkin as Harvard's nomination for the NCAA Sportsmanship and Leadership Award (selected from among all of Harvard's 41 Varsity teams).  Gideon's senior essay was also selected for inclusion in the Senior Letterwinner's Dinner program...

Text below:

Gideon Valkin
Harvard Men's Tennis Co-Captain
From: Johannesburg, South Africa
Concentration: Government
House: Kirkland

"You either win or you learn," said Head Coach Dave Fish after our third consecutive 4-3 loss at the start of my senior spring season.  As my remaining days with the Harvard tennis program diminishes, my appreciation for it multiplies, and on this day Coach Fish's comment hit me like a volley to my stomach.  Every day for the last four years, I had crossed that unearthly cold river at some inhumane hours of the day in order to learn some of my most valued life lessons and become a winner. 
    
I remember my first match starting for The Crimson.  I was one of two freshmen traveling with an experienced lineup of some of the best players in the country.  One of my teammates woke up sick on game day, and I was in.  In short, my match was a series of shaking limbs, nervous breaths, and prayers that it would not come down to me.  Needless to say, I lost after being up, and one of my senior teammates clinched the win soon after.
    
Opportunities to learn and to develop as a competitor and as a teammate increased as my role on the team grew.  Invaluable tidbits from my coaches and my teammates would ultimately enable me to overcome fear and embrace the defining moments and challenges.  I was taught to recognize my strengths and weaknesses and to maintain clarity in my game when it counted most.  I was taught to act positively and professionally regardless of the score and to take risks on the most important points.  I learned to value competition for its own sake; to play to win, without being scared to lose. 

Emphasis on the team over the individual changed the way most of us visualized success.  I was valued more by how much I contributed to the team than by my personal victories.  It was not until I was prepared to work harder than my teammates that I became a true leader.  As clichéd as these lessons sound to me now, they were unknown to me the day I joined the Harvard Tennis Team. 

Harvard Tennis is a century marked with national level competition, Ivy-League championships and All-American players.  To date, success has not interfered with the principles of education and development to which each team member is continuously exposed.  This tradition has prepared me, and many before me, for the challenges of life.  It is the tradition to which I owe my days of glory, and of which I am eternally proud.  I thank my coaches and all those before me who contributed to the values of the program.   



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Crimson players host Tennis Champions Cup legends Courier, McEnroe, Sampras, Todd Martin, Pat Cash and Wayne Ferreira.

Wayne Ferreira, Pat Cash, and Todd Martin...
Tim Mayotte, John McEnroe, and Jim Courier trying out for the squad...
Last month, the Harvard men played host to some of tennis' greatest players, who were in town for the Champions Cup, one of the events on Jim Courier's veterans world tour. The event in Boston at BU's beautiful new Agganis Arena, made national headlines, as it signalled Pete Sampras' first competition since his retirement in 2003.


At Harvard's Murr Center, Chris Clayton got to play a set against McEnroe, freshman Michael Hayes against Todd Martin and fellow Aussie Pat Cash, Gideon Valkin (South Africa) got to play with countryman Wayne Ferreira. Hayes was treated to a lesson by Todd Martin, who literally stayed on an extra half-hour to drill Michael and give him tips on his approach shot. Hayes must have done something right that week, as Pat Cash later worked out with him and then gave him a valuable lesson on his angle volley. Watch out for him now!