Just saw this on aggieathletics.com. Glad to see that they are still playing together and doing well. I'd love to see them continue working together and try their luck on the pro tour as a doubles team (after Austin finishes his elgibility here of course).

http://www.aggieathletics.com/sports/m-tennis/spec-rel/061509aaa.html

Sweet story. Just looked it up, and the doubles championship team gets 945$ (I dunno if Connor can just take all of that money or what?). I'm glad the purse was so small, or Austin might start getting some ideas....

congrats

the purse for doubles is always small unless you are winning tier one events or grand slams. Conor and Austin would have to be around 100 or higher in the world in dubs to make a living doing it...

On another note, Austin beat Jarmere Jenkins 6 and 6 yesterday or the day before in qualifying for a futures in California. It was the first time they have ever played each other in a tournament, even though they played tournaments together for the last few years.

Yep. Austin lost his last match in qualies though so no main draw this week. Conor got a wild card this week into the main draw. They are not in the doubles draw this week.

Conor loses 1st round 64,60.
Lester Cook is also in the draw and won his first round match.

It is just really, really tough for a player coming out of college to scratch out a living in pro tennis. The gap between college level and even 250 in the world is enormous.

Yep. #250 on the money list last year only made $75K (including doubles money). After expenses, I'm sure his net income was waaay in the red.

Lester won his next match and is in the Quarters. For reference, he is currently ranked #342.

Do you ever wonder how the Aggies would have done if Cook, Trey Davis, and Rafael de Mesa hadn't gone pro early? I hope Austin doesn't make the same mistake.

Were they all there at the same time?

De Mesa didnt ever really pan out, fwiw.

De Mesa would have played one and Madden two and bumped the other players down. Wtih Cook playing one, Newport would have played two etc. Two very good teams would have been top ten and maybe top 5.

Cook loses in the quarters but does manage to win the doubles title.
I don't see Austin or Conor in this week's futures event.

They all left early and never did much on the pro circuit. Lester has probably had the most "success". Davis was a huge flameout.

Guys should just stay in school. Very few have left college early for good results in pro tennis.

Conor and Austin are on the collegiate summer team, and are training with that program this week.

Austin is off to a good start at this week's futures tournament in Pittsburgh.
He's won 2 main draw matches (including beating the #481 ranked player in the world) to reach the Quarters. He's also in the finals of doubles (not playing w/ Conor this week).

Austin has made it through qualifying at $50K Lexington Challenger. Already a good result.

Very good result for Austin. He still needs to come back and wrap up his degree though.

Trey Davis was the hardest one for me to understand. Guy plays the 4/5 line at A&M and he thinks he's got the tools to make the jump?

I think part of the problem was he was doubles partners as a junior tennis player for a while with Roddick.. Seeing Roddick do so well had to make him wonder..

I believe TRES Davis played 6 for us his one and only year. Not sure why he tried to go pro either. Apparently, his dad came in one day to Cass and said that his son needed to be playing #1 the next year, and if he didnt, he would leave and play pro. Obviously, he was told he wouldnt, and never played another match for A&M. Oh well, not that big of a loss if you ask me.

Tres definitely falls into the what might have been category. There was definitely friction between his Dad and Coach Cass. I think with a lot of young players, their dads are responsible for introducing them to the game, and often are there coaches (as was the case with Coach Davis). Its hard apparantly to turn their kids over to someone else, and the coach/dad often put undue pressure on their sons and the college coaches. If things could have worked out with Tres, he definitely would have helped us on down the line.....how much we will never know. Don't think he is playing anymore at the professional level.

yeah my bad tres..

Kinda funny story, I lost to his younger brother while he had a cast on... And he was several years younger than me..

[This message has been edited by Aston04 (edited 7/22/2009 5:38p).]

That davis family could play some tennis

Just a heads up: I hear that we are going to have at least one important announcement of an addition to the mens tennis team.

US or international player?

US player. And it may be two announcements. Look forward to a bigger and better team next year.

Projected for top half or bottom half of the lineup?

ummm, could be either for both of them, its gonna be up in the air. Both are legit players that are either going to make the top half stronger, or add depth to the bottom half.


Looks like things might be coming together, should be fun to watch. Got a lot of guys that want to come here right now

That's great news. Thanks for the info.

Off topic, but bigfoot (or anyone else) have you heard anything lately about an indoor tennis facility? Or is that fully on hold with the budget crunch?

Has nothing to do with the budget crunch, it has to do with no one wanting to donate the rest of the money for it. Once they get the check they need, the facility will be built. Its just a matter of who donates it and when we get it.

Cool. I'd also love to see some clay courts.. But that's probably asking too much..

While clay courts would be really cool, there is really no reason to put any in the new facility. College Players never play on clay, so there is really no benefit to having them for our programs.

Definitely want for more of the cool factor. Though I do think top American players should play more on clay.. I believe it is part of why we are falling behind in player development.

Clay would be a nice thing to brag about having... But yeah a pipe dream and definitely not needed.

[This message has been edited by Aston04 (edited 7/27/2009 7:11p).]

If we can get the indoors, the clay courts would be fine after that. Just gotta focus on getting the actual indoors first.

They had discussed getting the clays to bring players in to train, but this isnt a training facility. We NEED the indoors...youre right, the clays are a pipe dream. They would cost a little too much to maintain, too.

By the way, Conor and Austin are playing in a futures in Godfrey, IL right now. Conor lost in the finals of qualifying, but got into the main draw as a lucky loser. Well, today he beat the #4 seed Matej Bocko, who happens to be ranked #653 in the world. Great win for Conor!

Also, Lester Cook, former A&M standout, beat Harel Levy, the #5 seed, ranked 176 in the world.

Austin beat IMG bust Michael McClune (#414) to reach the Quarters. Conor lost in the 2nd round. They lost doubles 1st round (match tiebreak).

Lester also won his next match.