Lomacki Rides Success Into Freshman Season
by Eric Todoroff, Marketing & Communications Assistant
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – According to NCAA standards, University of Miami men’s tennis player Piotr Lomacki must be listed as a true freshman. But after a summer of competition in Europe, the Polish transplant has experience comparable to that of an upperclassman.
Playing in 11 tournaments spanning six countries, Lomacki finished with 14 wins, defeating four players ranked ahead of him. At his first tournament match in March, the ATP ranked him the No. 1,204 singles player in the world. By the end of the summer, Lomacki jumped 410 spots to his current position at No. 794 and also makes him the No. 1 junior player in Poland.
For Lomacki, the ranking has become nothing more than a number. Over the summer, he learned to ignore the hype surrounding either his opponents or himself and retain his focus on the match.
“You can beat everybody,” Lomacki explained. “The ranking is not playing and it is just a number. If you are playing a top-five team, it does not matter. It just depends on the day, your actual form.”
Despite his personal disregard for rankings, Lomacki’s recent success has not gone unnoticed. Entering his first season, he was named the No. 6 freshman/newcomer in the country by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Head coach Mario Rincon had high praise for the newcomer, describing his game as all-around, highlighting his power and quickness on the court.
“He’s a fighter,” Rincon elaborated. “He has a lot of confidence in himself. He’s got a lot of ability and at the same time he can improve in every aspect of his game.”
Growing pains are anticipated as Lomacki transitions into the college game format. The most glaring challenge for him will be court texture, as Lomacki competed on exclusively clay courts this summer. Excluding an upcoming clay tournament, every tournament and match this season for the Hurricanes is on hard court.
Along with going to class and academic commitments, for the first time in his career Lomacki will be training as a member of team, rather than just as an individual in tournaments.
“It’s going to be an adjustment for him. The style of play is different on hard courts and also the team environment,” Rincon said. “He’s only been playing tennis tournaments and training by himself. When you have to combine going to class, doing conditioning and having to be with the team almost all of the time, it’s an adjustment. It will take him a little while to get used to it.”
Since arriving in Coral Gables, Lomacki has abandoned his ranking and accomplishments in Europe, and has embraced his role as a member of the Hurricanes men’s tennis team.
“Now I am just part of the team,” Lomacki said. “I am going to do everything in my power to put the Hurricanes among the best teams in the country.”
Rincon foresees Lomacki becoming the type of player than can have an immediate positive impact on the team and program. With Lomacki’s pedigree, the expectation of winning is growing, not only for himself but the team as a whole.
“We have high goals for him. We have high goals for our team,” Rincon said. “He knows he’s one of the promising players we have here. He can become a great college player and make a mark.”
Lomacki will begin his collegiate career next weekend when he travels to Olympia Fields, Ill., to play in the Olympia Fields Country Club Invite, Sept. 19-21.
