Vallverdu, Sundberg Ranked in Nation's Top Five
April 28, 2008
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Coral Gables, Fla… Awaiting Tuesday’s NCAA Tournament selections, the No. 19 University of Miami men’s tennis team has a pair of Hurricanes ranked among the nation’s top five in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Poll released today.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
All-American junior Daniel Vallverdu is ranked fifth in the nation in singles play this week and remains among the top-five collegians for the 10th-straight week of the season. With 70 career singles wins, the Valencia, Venezueala-native (27-8) is tied for 10th in Miami program history in career wins, while his 27 wins this season is tied for 11th in the Hurricane recordbook.
Vallverdu, who was named to the All-ACC Men’s Tennis Team for a program-best third time this season, has been ranked among the nation’s top 10 throughout the spring season and has earned 14 wins over ranked opponents.
The Miami duo of Vallverdu and freshman Carl Sundberg have jumped four spots to a season-best ranking of No. 3 this week. It is the highest ranking for a Hurricane tandem since just over a year ago when All-Americans Luigi D’Agord and Josh Cohen earned a No. 3 ranking during the final week of the 2007 regular season.
Vallverdu and Sundberg have put together a 23-7 record this season, including seven wins over ranked opponents, heading into next week’s NCAA Tournament. With 25 doubles wins this season (includes two alongside David Rosenfeld), Vallverdu’s single-season total ties for fourth in UM history, while his 65 career doubles wins is fourth in the Miami recordbook.
Rosenfeld’s 26 doubles wins, including 24 with Vivek Subramanian, ties for the second-most doubles wins in a season. Alvaro Fillol set the mark of 28 in 1975-76.
The Hurricanes await Tuesday’s NCAA Tournament bracket announcement, which will be shown live on ESPNews at 2 p.m. Individuals selected to compete in the singles and doubles championships will be announced by 6 p.m. on Wed., April 30, via the NCAA websites (www.NCAA.com and www.NCAA.org).
