Men's Tennis set for ITA regional run at Levy

Penn men's tennis senior captain Ryan Harwood has been gearing up for the ITA Eastern Regionals for quite a while.

Harwood's a senior, and is playing some of his best tennis in his four years at Penn.

Add in the fact that this is may also be Harwood's final fall tournament -- and also that Penn's bracket, Region I, will be playing on the Quakers' own Levy Pavillion -- and you've got a player who is ready to make a run in the East Regionals.

"It's my last ITA regional tournament," Harwood said. "It's something that I don't think a Penn player has won in god knows how long.

"It's also really cool to have your final tournament at home."

Harwood's confidence is augmented by his belief that the tournament lacks a truly dominant player.

Last year's Eastern Regional section I champion Yale's Alex Dorato, has since graduated.

While Harwood expects the tournament to be well-balanced, he does believe that the crown is anybody's for the taking.

"I don't think that there's anybody that I'd be intimidated to play," Harwood said. "It's deep, but it's going to be exciting."

Harwood will be one of four players who will represent the Quakers at the ITAs, Penn's final event of the fall season.

Joining Harwood in the singles' draw will be junior Alex Fritz and sophomores David Lynn and Craig Rubin.

Singles' play begins on Thursday.

"I think we're all pretty confident and hopefully, at least a couple of us will advance pretty far and gives ourselves a shot for one of us to win," Harwood said.

Harwood and Fritz will also team up to contend for the doubles crown.

The pair is new to doubles' competition, as Fritz is a junior transfer from Johnson County Community College.

Still, Harwood believes that a lack of match experience does not necessarily rule the tandem out from a run at the doubles' title.

"I think [doubles is] about chemistry," Harwood said. "We're getting our rhythm as a doubles' team, and we're really starting to get there."

Including Penn's four singles entrants and one doubles pair, the Eastern Regional will be comprised of 96 singles players and 56 doubles' teams from 45 different Eastern schools.

Top teams receive up to six entrants, while lesser schools may receive just one.

As such, Penn's four players is a testament to the regional respect the program garners.

"Depending on how you did in the ECACs and your reputation from years past it will determine how many players you have at ITAs," Harwood said. "We got four people in, which is pretty good."

Last year, Lynn advanced to the round of the 16 before losing to No. 4 Andreas Laulund, of Virginia Tech, 6-2, 6-1.

Harwood and Rubin fell in the round of 64.

After an up-and-down fall season, the Red and Blue have high hopes to finish up strong this weekend.

The Quakers were routed by Rutgers, 5-2, and Richmond, 7-0, at the Navy Invitational in late September. Penn also exited the ECAC Championships in the first round in a disappointing loss to rival Yale, 4-2, earlier this month.

Most recently, Harwood and Lynn won first round matches at the Penn State Invitational two weeks ago. After the first round, however, rain forced the cancellation of the remainder of the invite.

The Eastern Regional draw will be announced before the first round tomorrow and should any Red and Blue players advance to the finals, they will be held on Tuesday.

Winners of both singles and doubles in the region will advance to the National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships on Nov. 7-10.

And while Harwood is set for a run at the crown, if he does fall short, he still promises that his last tournament at Penn will be a bittersweet goodbye.

"I am going to treat it like it's a tournament, but it is the last regional that I will be playing in my college career," Harwood said. "And you don't want to leave off on a bad note."

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