• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

Wake Forest Tennis 2023-2024: Men #3

Has been crickets unfortunately. Here is what I know:

Taha - transferring to Kentucky
Sid - doing his last year at Cal Berkley
Ben, Jakob, Edu, and Rezi all done with eligibility

Karimov - I think he will be back for 1 more year
Melios - I am thinking he will be back for 1 more year
Filo - Will be back and should have at least 2, maybe 3 years left

Matt Thomson, Rob Maciag, and Juan Lopez should all be back, but frankly they aren't top 6 singles guys for any team in the top 15 IMO.

Of the guys we've yet to see play, Tacchi, Duan, and Vikas Deo appear the most likely to see court time.

All that to say, we are going to need some serious firepower to come via transfer or mid-year international guys or we should expect a significant drop. I am confident, but that confident wanes every day as we get closer to August, especially when it comes to transfers.

It's disappointing to see guys who were likely starters transfer out.
 
It's disappointing to see guys who were likely starters transfer out.

I get Sid. He's been at Wake for 4 years. He'll end up with a Wake undergrad and a Cal-Berkley grad degree. Don't get me wrong, i'd love to have him, but I at least understand it. He didn't play in the singles lineup for the first half of the year and then supplanted Taha and helped us.

The Taha transfer is a wackier one, and one I suspect has a story. At first glance, Kentucky has all of his Canadian buddies and teammates so that makes sense. Tennis wise, he played top 2-3 his first two years at Wake and had success. This year he starts out at 5 and 6 and has very mixed results, and eventually is completely out of the lineup. He also announced his transfer almost immediately after the season. I've followed him on futures circuit this summer and he's had some success.
 
BTTT - No official roster updates, but I gather that Melios will be back since he played WS Open qualies with a WC. Tacchi has been here practicing this week, so he is back. Moroni was on the qualies alternate list so I assume he is back. Matt Thomson is back as well as he is playing MD dubs with Skander. Outside of that, is anyone's guess. Usually the whole team is back practicing with the pros during WS Open, but I've also seen Tacchi and Thomson on IG.
 
Borna Gojo is not playing the WS Open because he's in the US Open qualifier starting tomorrow.
 
BTTT - No official roster updates, but I gather that Melios will be back since he played WS Open qualies with a WC. Tacchi has been here practicing this week, so he is back. Moroni was on the qualies alternate list so I assume he is back. Matt Thomson is back as well as he is playing MD dubs with Skander. Outside of that, is anyone's guess. Usually the whole team is back practicing with the pros during WS Open, but I've also seen Tacchi and Thomson on IG.

I've also seen Karimov, Deo, and Duan at the WS Open, in addition to those you mentioned.
 
Borna Gojo is not playing the WS Open because he's in the US Open qualifier starting tomorrow.

Gojo is playing Stricker in the first round, which is a very even match up. Gojo has been in Winston the past few weeks training.

Skander Mansouri has been playing well lately, and he'll be playing doubles with Matthew Thomson in the WS Open.
 
First sign of a newcomer today on Chris Eaton's IG story. Bozo Barun from Croatia. Was practicing with Joao Sousa at WS Open. Looks like a top 6 guy, but doesn't scream elite. Still a good sign nonetheless. Hopefully a few more to follow.

Karimov, Melios, Filo, Barun - Maciag, Lopez de Azcona, Tacchi, Thomson, Duan, Deo

Has the makings of a top 20 team, but not back to elite level yet.
 
First sign of a newcomer today on Chris Eaton's IG story. Bozo Barun from Croatia. Was practicing with Joao Sousa at WS Open. Looks like a top 6 guy, but doesn't scream elite. Still a good sign nonetheless. Hopefully a few more to follow.

Karimov, Melios, Filo, Barun - Maciag, Lopez de Azcona, Tacchi, Thomson, Duan, Deo

Has the makings of a top 20 team, but not back to elite level yet.

Two other freshmen on the roster: Saud Alhogbani and Ernesto Requena. Any clue if these are top 6 worthy guys?
 
Wake picked up Holden Koons as a grad transfer. He was the CAA player of the year last year at James Madison. Very solid addition.
 
The ITA released their top 25 rankings. The women are in the "receiving votes" category and the men are #14. It has been a while since the men have started outside the top 10, but it's really hard to know who Wake will have until the season kicks off in a few weeks (and even then it might take a few more weeks to clarify who is eligible). I think we'll have Moroni, Melios, Karimov, Barun, Tacchi, Thompson, and Lopez de Azcona. I've also seen that Holden Koons (mentioned above) and Luka Pow from Great Britain will be joining the team, but neither are currently on the roster on the website.
 
The ITA released their top 25 rankings. The women are in the "receiving votes" category and the men are #14. It has been a while since the men have started outside the top 10, but it's really hard to know who Wake will have until the season kicks off in a few weeks (and even then it might take a few more weeks to clarify who is eligible). I think we'll have Moroni, Melios, Karimov, Barun, Tacchi, Thompson, and Lopez de Azcona. I've also seen that Holden Koons (mentioned above) and Luka Pow from Great Britain will be joining the team, but neither are currently on the roster on the website.
Any reason Koons and Pow are not listed on the roster yet?
 
Playing #6 Tennessee right now. lost doubles but won 5 of 6 singles first sets.
 
The men moved up to #10 this week after beating #6 Tennessee. Wake hosts #23 Auburn tomorrow (Friday January 27th) at 5 pm in the ITA tournament. If Wake wins, they'll likely play #19 Duke on Saturday.

The women play #22 Tennessee tomorrow at 1 pm at Ohio State.
 
Really solid 4-0 win for the men over #19 Auburn in the first round of the ITA Indoor Championships. The Deacs play MTSU Saturday at 5 pm, with the winner going to the national indoor championships.
 
Back
Top