Gracious Hosts

Professional athletes are role models, but it’s not every day that you actually get the chance to meet them.

The USTA Pro Circuit Men’s Tournament at the Brownsville Tennis Center has not only brought professional tennis but also a once in a lifetime experience for many local students to meet the players and ask questions.

“It’s a great thing for them,” Nima Rosham (USA) said. “Obviously the high school age, its not a rough time in your life but it’s a very transitional part of your life growing up to an adult. If they can have the right kind of advice coming from people they look up to or respect then I thinking it’s a great thing and can only lead to a brighter future for them.”

The meet and greet held yesterday had six players from the tournament available for questions including world No. 188 ranked Kevin Anderson who answered a question from Hanna Eagles junior Loretta Montemayor regarding whether college was better for some players.

“It’s a worth while decision there are a lot of positives coming out of college,” Anderson replied in front of 120 student athletes. “These days it’s really good, it really helps you improve your tennis game a lot. I definitely suggest it for all these players.”

Rivera, Hanna, Pace, St. Joseph and Lopez tennis players were in attendance. Raiders coach Daniel Espinosa said the event is in-spiring and enlightening to the students.

“It’s very motivational for the kids to come out here and watch the pros,” Espinosa said. “Every word they say they take it to heart. Some of the questions the kids were asking were really good and the responses of the pros were really good. It not only gives the kids insight on tennis but life and how to handle themselves.”

Austria’s Richard Ruckelshausen was part of the panel taking questions and said that having the meet and greet made this tournament unique and hoped to see it on other events.

“I think it’s awesome,” he said. “I think its great to get the kids together also maybe they like playing tennis and they get to see how it is to ask us questions about life as a pro.”

Anderson and Ruckelshausen will meet in the singles quarterfinals along with Nicolas Todero, Nicholas Monroe, Andrey Kumantsov and Artem Sitak. No. 2 seed Jamie Baker will face Daniel Lustig.

The doubles bracket is in the semi-finals as the brother tandem of Brian and Dann Battistone play against Daniel Yoo and Sunil-Kumas Sipaeya. No. 1 seeds Pavel Chkhov and Phillip Simmonds battle Ruckelshausen and Arnar Sigurdsson for the last spot for the finals on Sunday.