Wake Forest Athletics
Three Demon Deacons Earn Spots in Winston-Salem Open Qualifying
8/21/2026 7:04:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Luca Pow, Mees Rottgering and DK Suresh Ekambaram will begin their run in the ATP 250 event Saturday.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Winston-Salem Open returns to the Wake Forest Tennis Complex this week, with three current and former Demon Deacons set to compete at the ATP World Tour 250 event. Current Demon Deacons Luca Pow and Mees Rottgering will compete while Wake Forest tennis legend DK Suresh returns to Winston-Salem following a memorable run at last year's tournament.
Luca Pow Begins His Senior Campaign
Pow enters the Winston-Salem Open following another standout season for the Demon Deacons. The rising senior helped lead Wake Forest to ACC regular-season and ACC Championship titles in 2025-26 while earning ITA Singles All-America honors after advancing to the NCAA Singles Championship quarterfinals. He was also named to the All-ACC Second Team in singles.
The Englishman finished the season ranked No. 35 nationally in singles after posting a 32-9 overall record. He went 20-5 during the spring, including a perfect 8-0 mark in ACC play and three ranked victories. Pow also finished 14-3 at the No. 3 singles position and closed the campaign by winning 16 of his final 18 matches.
As always, Pow continued to be a force in doubles, compiling a 27-8 overall record and leading Wake Forest with 24 spring doubles victories, including eight in ACC play and four against ranked opponents.
Pow competed in singles qualifying at last year's Winston-Salem Open, where he faced world No. 93 Aleksandar Vukic in the opening round. Vukic earned a 6-3, 6-4 victory to end Pow's tournament.
Pow will look to make another run through qualifying this year in front of the home crowd.
ACC Freshman of the Year Looks to Make his Mark
Rottgering will make his Winston-Salem Open debut after one of the most decorated freshman seasons in Wake Forest men's tennis history.
The Dutchman helped guide the Demon Deacons to ACC regular-season and ACC Championship titles while earning ACC Freshman of the Year, ACC Tournament MVP and ITA Carolina Regional Rookie of the Year honors. He was also named All-ACC Second Team in singles and All-ACC Third Team in doubles.
Rottgering finished his first collegiate season ranked No. 24 nationally in singles and No. 51 in doubles alongside Kacper Szymkowiak. He posted an 18-3 singles record, including eight ranked victories, and went 8-1 against ranked opponents. Outside of collegiate tennis in 2026, Rottgering won the M25 Xalapa professional tournament.
Rottgering's rise on the international stage began before his arrival at Wake Forest. At just 16 years old, he reached the semifinals of the Dutch Senior National Championships before putting together a historic 2024 junior campaign. He reached the semifinals of the Australian Open Boys' Singles, advanced to the Wimbledon junior championship match and won the 2024 ITF Junior Finals. He then made his ATP Tour debut at the 2025 ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam.
Now, Rottgering will have the opportunity to make his Winston-Salem Open debut on a familiar stage and compete against some of the world's top professional players.
DK Suresh Returns
Suresh returns to the Winston-Salem Open after graduating from Wake Forest in the spring following a decorated four-year collegiate career.
During his senior season, Suresh helped the Demon Deacons capture both the ACC regular-season and ACC Championship titles while earning ITA Singles All-America and ITA Doubles All-America honors. He was named All-ACC Third Team in singles and First Team in doubles and finished the season ranked No. 37 nationally in singles.
Suresh posted a 23-3 overall doubles record in his final collegiate season, including a perfect 15-0 mark alongside Andrew Delgado. The pair finished the season ranked No. 1 nationally and recorded six victories over ranked opponents. Suresh also advanced to the ITA All-American Championships doubles final and recorded his 100th career doubles victory in his final match as a Demon Deacon.
His return to Winston-Salem comes one year after a breakthrough performance at the tournament. Suresh battled through qualifying in 2025, defeating Aidan Mayo, ranked No. 300 in the world, before rallying past No. 126 Alejandro Tabilo to earn his first ATP Tour main-draw appearance. He ultimately fell to No. 74 Mariano Navone in the Round of 64.
Suresh also reunited with Pow in doubles, with the duo advancing to the Round of 16 before falling to top-seeded Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski in a match tiebreak.
About the Winston-Salem Open
The Winston-Salem Open is an ATP World Tour 250 event that serves as the final ATP Tour stop before the US Open. The 2026 tournament features a 48-player singles main draw, with four players advancing from qualifying, as well as a 16-team doubles draw. Qualifying features a 16-player singles field.
The tournament's primary charitable partner is the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools middle school athletic programs. In recent years, the Winston-Salem Open has also expanded its charitable efforts to support grassroots tennis programs throughout the greater Winston-Salem/Forsyth County area.
2026 Tournament Information
Ticket and Fan Information
Individual session tickets for the 2026 Winston-Salem Open are available throughout the tournament, with additional options including Friends packages, group tickets and week-long box seats.
Public parking is available in the parking lot adjacent to Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, with access from Deacon Boulevard. Fans can find additional information regarding parking, directions, hotels and other Winston-Salem resources through the tournament's travel information.
For more information, visit Winston-SalemOpen.com or ATP Tour.
Luca Pow Begins His Senior Campaign
Pow enters the Winston-Salem Open following another standout season for the Demon Deacons. The rising senior helped lead Wake Forest to ACC regular-season and ACC Championship titles in 2025-26 while earning ITA Singles All-America honors after advancing to the NCAA Singles Championship quarterfinals. He was also named to the All-ACC Second Team in singles.
The Englishman finished the season ranked No. 35 nationally in singles after posting a 32-9 overall record. He went 20-5 during the spring, including a perfect 8-0 mark in ACC play and three ranked victories. Pow also finished 14-3 at the No. 3 singles position and closed the campaign by winning 16 of his final 18 matches.
As always, Pow continued to be a force in doubles, compiling a 27-8 overall record and leading Wake Forest with 24 spring doubles victories, including eight in ACC play and four against ranked opponents.
Pow competed in singles qualifying at last year's Winston-Salem Open, where he faced world No. 93 Aleksandar Vukic in the opening round. Vukic earned a 6-3, 6-4 victory to end Pow's tournament.
Pow will look to make another run through qualifying this year in front of the home crowd.
ACC Freshman of the Year Looks to Make his Mark
Rottgering will make his Winston-Salem Open debut after one of the most decorated freshman seasons in Wake Forest men's tennis history.
The Dutchman helped guide the Demon Deacons to ACC regular-season and ACC Championship titles while earning ACC Freshman of the Year, ACC Tournament MVP and ITA Carolina Regional Rookie of the Year honors. He was also named All-ACC Second Team in singles and All-ACC Third Team in doubles.
Rottgering finished his first collegiate season ranked No. 24 nationally in singles and No. 51 in doubles alongside Kacper Szymkowiak. He posted an 18-3 singles record, including eight ranked victories, and went 8-1 against ranked opponents. Outside of collegiate tennis in 2026, Rottgering won the M25 Xalapa professional tournament.
Rottgering's rise on the international stage began before his arrival at Wake Forest. At just 16 years old, he reached the semifinals of the Dutch Senior National Championships before putting together a historic 2024 junior campaign. He reached the semifinals of the Australian Open Boys' Singles, advanced to the Wimbledon junior championship match and won the 2024 ITF Junior Finals. He then made his ATP Tour debut at the 2025 ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam.
Now, Rottgering will have the opportunity to make his Winston-Salem Open debut on a familiar stage and compete against some of the world's top professional players.
DK Suresh Returns
Suresh returns to the Winston-Salem Open after graduating from Wake Forest in the spring following a decorated four-year collegiate career.
During his senior season, Suresh helped the Demon Deacons capture both the ACC regular-season and ACC Championship titles while earning ITA Singles All-America and ITA Doubles All-America honors. He was named All-ACC Third Team in singles and First Team in doubles and finished the season ranked No. 37 nationally in singles.
Suresh posted a 23-3 overall doubles record in his final collegiate season, including a perfect 15-0 mark alongside Andrew Delgado. The pair finished the season ranked No. 1 nationally and recorded six victories over ranked opponents. Suresh also advanced to the ITA All-American Championships doubles final and recorded his 100th career doubles victory in his final match as a Demon Deacon.
His return to Winston-Salem comes one year after a breakthrough performance at the tournament. Suresh battled through qualifying in 2025, defeating Aidan Mayo, ranked No. 300 in the world, before rallying past No. 126 Alejandro Tabilo to earn his first ATP Tour main-draw appearance. He ultimately fell to No. 74 Mariano Navone in the Round of 64.
Suresh also reunited with Pow in doubles, with the duo advancing to the Round of 16 before falling to top-seeded Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski in a match tiebreak.
First Qualifying Round Matchups (Beginning Saturday at 11 a.m.)
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(WC) Luca Pow vs. (2) Felix Balshaw
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(6) DK Suresh vs. (Alt.) Roger Pascual Ferra
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(7) Mees Rottgering vs. (Alt.) Hunter Heck
About the Winston-Salem Open
The Winston-Salem Open is an ATP World Tour 250 event that serves as the final ATP Tour stop before the US Open. The 2026 tournament features a 48-player singles main draw, with four players advancing from qualifying, as well as a 16-team doubles draw. Qualifying features a 16-player singles field.
The tournament's primary charitable partner is the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools middle school athletic programs. In recent years, the Winston-Salem Open has also expanded its charitable efforts to support grassroots tennis programs throughout the greater Winston-Salem/Forsyth County area.
2026 Tournament Information
- Level: ATP World Tour 250
- Qualifying: August 21-22, 2026
- Main Draw: August 22-29, 2026
- Site: Wake Forest Tennis Complex, 100 West 32nd Street, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27105
- Singles Main Draw: 48 players, including four qualifiers
- Doubles Main Draw: 16 teams
- Qualifying Draw: 16 players
Ticket and Fan Information
Individual session tickets for the 2026 Winston-Salem Open are available throughout the tournament, with additional options including Friends packages, group tickets and week-long box seats.
Public parking is available in the parking lot adjacent to Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, with access from Deacon Boulevard. Fans can find additional information regarding parking, directions, hotels and other Winston-Salem resources through the tournament's travel information.
For more information, visit Winston-SalemOpen.com or ATP Tour.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
Friday, August 21
Wednesday, August 19
Tuesday, August 18
Tuesday, August 18