From Aggie Athletics.com:
Clay Donato, the topped ranked junior tennis player in Canada, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Texas A&M beginning in the Fall, A&M coach Tim Cass announced Tuesday.
Donato, from Toronto, is ranked No. 2 in Canada in singles and No. 1 in doubles. He has trained and graduated high school from the famed Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla. It is the same academy that produced All-American Jerry Makowski, who is ranked No. 8 nationally for the Aggies.
“Doubles has been an area of concern for us and I feel like we’ve addressed that with the addition of Clay and (early signee) Luka (Ocvirk),” Cass said. “They are two great singles players that are two of the absolute best doubles players in the world.”
Donato has trained at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy since the 8th grade and has been trained personally by Nick Bollettieri for three years. Bollettieri considers Donato like a son.
“I could write him off like a son,” Bollettieri said. “When he leaves here, part of me leaves. I had to make sure that he got into an environment where he would be productive and pushed, and where he could excel. There were a lot of reasons why we chose Texas A&M. I had to know who was going to take care of my boy.”
According to Bollettieri, Donato’s best tennis is ahead of him.
“He’s still learning,” Bollettieri said. “I think by his junior or senior year he will be on the number one doubles team and will be the number one or number two singles player on the team.”
Donato chose A&M over Duke and Pepperdine.
“I made up my mind the moment I stepped foot on campus,” Donato said. “I knew I wanted to be here. I like A&M a lot. I liked the facilities, they are incredible. I also liked the coaches. I’m an athlete, not just a tennis player, so I wanted to attend a sports school and that’s what I found at A&M. And there are great guys on the team like Jerry (Makowski) who I’m good friends with.”
Bollettieri said A&M was the best choice.
“Every college wanted him,” Bollettieri said. “We made the right decision, no question about it.”