Wake Forest Athletics
Paul Reaches Final At USTA Futures Event
7/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
July 31, 2006
GODFREY, Ill. - Wake Forest tennis All-American Todd Paul earned eight points on the ATP Tour by virtue of his performance at last week's USTA Futures Event in Godfrey, Ill. Paul defeated three players ranked inside the world's top 1000 to reach the finals, but fell in three sets in Sunday's final.
Paul received a wild card bid to the event held on the hardcourts at Lewis and Clark Community College. In the first round, Paul rallied to beat Australian Daniel Wendler, ranked 882nd, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2. Paul then defeated the tournament's eight seed, Shao-Xuan Zeng of China, 7-5, 6-1.
In the quarterfinal round, Paul cruised past qualifier Matt Roberts, a former player at the University of Arkansas, 6-3, 6-1. Paul faced Jonathan Chu in the semifinals. Chu, the tournament's seventh-seeded player, advanced to the semifinals of the 2005 NCAA Championships as a member of the Harvard tennis team. But Paul soundly defeated Chu, 6-3, 6-3.
That win sent Paul to the final against Ryler de Heart, most recently of the University of Illinois. de Heart is the same player who eliminated Paul in the round of 32 at the 2006 NCAA Singles Championships in May. The former Fighting Illini won the re-match 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-1.
Paul is competing this week at the Futures tournament in Decatur, Ill. Later in August, Paul will play at the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament in New Haven, Conn., just 40 miles from his hometown of Stamford, Conn.
This past spring, Paul was an ITA All-American, reached the second round of the NCAA Singles Tournament and ended his season ranked in the top 20. Paul has earned All-ACC recognition during each of his first three years at Wake Forest. As a freshman in 2004, Paul was the ACC Rookie of the Year.
USA F19 - Lewis and Clark Community College2006 USTA Men's Futures Tennis TournamentGodfrey, Ill.July 24-30, 2006Surface: HardMain Draw: 32
(WC) Todd Paul (USA) d. #882 Daniel Wendler (AUS) 1-6 6-4 6-2(WC) Todd Paul (USA) d. #709 (8)Shao-Xuan Zeng (CHN) 7-5 6-1(WC) Todd Paul (USA) d. (q)Matt Roberts (USA) 6-3 6-1(WC) Todd Paul (USA) d. #613 (7)Jonathan Chu (USA) 6-3 6-3#1016 Ryler de Heart (USA) d. (WC)Todd Paul (USA) 6-7(2) 6-2 6-1
