Behind the Net: McMurry Men’s Tennis Team Aces toward Nationals

Josephine Woytas Uncategorized

Exciting news hit McMurry’s campus this past September 29. A McMurry Flight A doubles team brought home the championship. Chase Daniell and Carlos Martinez swept their category at the ITA Regional Championships. The dynamic duo brought the title back to McMurry after six years, when it was last won in 2013.  The competition in Georgetown, Texas featured teams from at least 15 other universities

Both Martinez and Daniell are experienced players.  Carlos started playing tennis when he was nine and Chase when he was barely five. Both were heavily influenced by family members who also played tennis. Carlos, a senior physics major was paired with sophomore business major, Chase in the fall of 2018.

Both boys agreed the pairing was a natural fit. “We really just automatically clicked,” said Martinez. In last year’s tournament,  the duo made it to the semi-finals but couldn’t pull out the win.

After coming so close last year, Carlos and Chase set their sights on clinching the title. “After seeing getting our draws, we knew we stood a chance at winning this thing,” said Danielle. Round after round, the two came out on top until they were back where they were the year before. “Losing so close in the end was just bittersweet,” Chase said commenting on the how close the two were.

Determined to improve on the previous year’s results, the boys pulled out a win over a team from Southwestern University. Both agreed that the moment they realized they won, it felt like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders. “It’s incredible knowing we get to bring this title back to McMurry,” said Martinez. “It was super awesome for our coach because he has pushed us to really get to this point.”

From here on out, the two claim constant practice will be vital in their run for nationals. The ITA Cup will be held in Rome, Georgia October 17-20. In the meantime, Chase and Carlos will be reviewing their footage and will carefully analyze every previous match so they can perfect their game before nationals.

“I want people to know we don’t just compete for ourselves, we compete for McMurry and the athletics department, to bring a win back to the school,” concluded Martinez. The two would greatly appreciate any and all support from the university on their journey to Georgia. As always, you will be able to find the link to their matches on the McMurry Athletics website.

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