University of Tennessee Athletics
Rea Advances to Round of 16 at USTA Futures Event
October 28, 2003 | Men's Tennis
Oct. 28, 2003
HAMMOND, La. - Tennessee senior Simon Rea advanced to the round of 16 Tuesday at the SmithBarney City of Hammond Men's Futures tennis tournament, a USTA Professional Futures Circuit event at Oak Knoll Country Club. Rea overcame a one-set deficit to defeat American professional Matt Cloer in the tournament's opening round.
Rea is listed at No. 858 in the world in this week's ATP entry rankings. Cloer is ranked No. 849. Tuesday's victory marked the second time in his last three matches that Rea has won after losing the first set.
"Simon has made some changes to his serve, and it was good to see him get better and better as the match progressed," Tennessee head coach Michael Fancutt said. "All around, Simon didn't play that well, but it's good to see that he can win when he's not playing his best."
The winner of Wednesday's first-round contest between Ireland's Peter Clarke and American qualifier Ryan Newport will be Rea's opponent in the round of 16 Thursday.
The USTA Professional Circuit is the world's premier developmental circuit for aspiring professional tennis players. It allows players to gain the experience and ranking points needed to participate on the major pro tours and in Grand Slam tournaments. Futures events are one of three levels of tournaments, along with Satellite and Challenger events, on the USTA Professional circuit and generally offer approximately $15,000 in prize money per event. While college players are permitted to participate in such tournaments, the NCAA places restrictions on the amount of winnings student-athletes can receive.
Proceeds from the SmithBarney City of Hammond Men's Futures event benefit Project Independence, an organization that encourages children with autism to reach their full potential through social interaction, life-skills training and sports. Project Independence provides summer day camps and programs built to meet the needs of autistic children who respond to sensory integration, applied behavior analysis and therapy. The sports program offers recreational activities and challenges which will help promote the children's self-esteem and develop independence for their future.
SmithBarney City of Hammond Men's Futures Results - Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2003
Main Singles Draw - Round of 32 Rea def. Cloer, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
