Virginia men’s tennis standouts junior Alex Domijan, senior Jarmere Jenkins and freshman Mac Styslinger competed this past weekend in the qualifying rounds of the Challenger of Dallas, a USTA Pro Circuit event with a $100,000 purse.
The Virginia teammates hung point-for-point with some of the best players in the world — and one even earned the right to stay in Dallas to face a former tennis icon.
Domijan, No. 2 in the ITA singles rankings, played his way into the tournament’s main draw by winning three matches in as many days.
He has little time to rest following Monday’s 6-1, 7-5 victory against American Mitchell Krueger, as he has a court date Tuesday evening with former world No. 4 James Blake. Blake knocked Roger Federer out of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, eventually finishing fourth.
Jenkins and Styslinger also acquitted themselves nicely at the Challenger. Jenkins scored a 6-2, 6-7 (0), 7-6 (5) win against former NCAA singles champion Devin Britton on the first day of qualifying.
The All-American then fell in straight sets Monday to Great Britain’s Alex Bogdanovic, the highest-ranked player in the qualifying draw at world No. 310.
ITA No. 7 Styslinger also advanced to the final day of qualifying. The precocious first-year surrendered only seven games in defeating Americans Neil Kenner and Chase Buchanan before buckling Monday in a 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 loss to South Africa’s Jean Andersen.
Buchanan, a three-time singles All-American at Ohio State from 2010-2012, is ranked No. 361 in the world.
The Challenger of Dallas’ main draw includes several players in the world’s top 200, including defending champion Jesse Levine and fellow American Michael Russell, who come in at Nos. 80 and 90, respectively.
—compiled by Matthew Morris
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