Challenger of Dallas Gets Underway
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DALLAS, TX, February 5, 2012 — The top seeds in both singles and doubles are loaded with talent and come from all across the globe.
Four out of eight seeded players at this year’s tournament in the singles draw are from overseas. A further look will show that two out of the four seeded Americans listed on your draw sheet were born overseas. Top-seeded and two-time Challenger of Dallas Singles Champion Ryan Sweeting was born and grew up playing in the Bahamas before gaining US Citizenship while at college. The #5 seed Wayne Odesnik was born in South Africa and immigrated to Florida with his family at age 3. This means that only two seeded players were born in the United States, the defending Doubles Champion Rajeev Ram and former world #17 Sam Querrey.
The remaining top seeds in the singles draw began their tennis careers in countries oceans away. The #2 seed Steve “Shark” Darcis comes to us from Belgium where he achieved a career-high singles ranking of 44 in 2008. Fourth seeded Tobias Kamke was the 2010 ATP “Newcomer of the year” and continues the Challenger of Dallas’ strong line of German players. The up and coming 21 year-old and #8 seed Ricardas Berankis is a Lithuanian sensation with junior Grand Slams under his belt and a close relationship with Roger Federer. All of 6’5″ #6 seed Izak van der Merwe comes from South Africa where he saw his first action for South Africa’s Davis Cup team in 2011.
There is plenty of talent outside of the top seeds, including 2011 US Open Mixed Doubles Champion Jack Sock, US Open semifinalist Robby Ginepri, and a Sportscenter Top 10 favorite Michael Yani.
The doubles draw has an international feel to it as well, as #4 seed Jack Sock and Nicholas Monroe are the only all US team seeded. Unseeded but perhaps the most dangerous team in the doubles draw is the pairing of crowd favorite Robert Kendrick and Mark Knowles. The Bahamian Knowles is a doubles assassin with championship wins at the US Open, French Open and Australian Open. Knowles aside from being a former #1 doubles player in the world is also a DFW area resident.
Matches get underway at 12:00 p.m. February 6th at T Bar M Racquet Club and will go well into the evening. Help this tournament become one of the best ever by showing up and cheering for your favorite players.
Tickets to the event can be purchased online at www.ChallengerofDallas.com
