Hannestad Transfers to UM Men’s Tennis Program
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami men’s tennis head coach Aljosa Piric announced Wednesday that Benjamin Hannestad will transfer into the program for the 2019-20 season. A 6-foot, 1-inch, right-hander from Vedbaek, Denmark, Hannestad spent the past two seasons at Arizona State and will be eligible to begin competing for the Hurricanes this fall.
“We are very excited to welcome Benjamin into our program,” Piric said. “He will be a great addition to our team and we look forward to helping Benjamin grow and develop as a person and a tennis player.”
Hannestad joins the Hurricanes after helping the Sun Devils reach the NCAA Championship in back-to-back seasons, posting a 19-11 singles mark during his freshman campaign.
“I am excited to join the honorary athletic department of The U,” Hannestad said. “I am ready to help and preserve the great working morale and team spirit that the University of Miami men’s tennis team has created over the last couple years. I can’t wait to get started and give my all with my new family and make my new school proud.”
During the fall of 2017, he finished 9-3 in singles play, capturing both the ITA Southwest Regional Championships in singles and doubles. Out of the 12 ITA Regional Championships, Hannestad was the only player to win both a singles and doubles title in 2017.
The right-hander captured five consecutive straight-set triumphs, including a 6-4, 6-3 victory over No. 54 Logan Smith of USC, to reach the singles championship.
In the title match, he topped Nicolas Moreno de Alboran of UC Santa Barbara, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
In doubles, Hannestad paired up with Tim Ruehl and topped Lautaro Pane and Pedro Lamachkine of Pepperdine, 6-4, 6-3, as Hannestad capped the five-day stretch with a perfect 10-0 overall record.
As a freshman, he ranked as high as No. 38 in the ITA singles rankings and No. 53 alongside Ruehl in doubles, while closing out the year ranked No. 80 in singles.
Prior to being the first signee of the reinstated ASU men’s tennis program, he played for a small club in Denmark called Vedbaek. He ranked as high as No. 919 in the ATP ranking for singles, No. 1109 for doubles and No. 45 in the ITF world junior ranking.
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