Men’s tennis serves up spring season schedule
VCU tennis players huddle together during practice. Photo by Alessandro Latour
Thailon Wilson, Staff writer
The back-to-back Atlantic 10 champions announced their schedule for the spring season after a historic final four run.
VCU men’s tennis made it all the way to the final four in the NCAA tournament’s doubles bracket run, according to VCU Athletics. The Bertimon twins, graduate student Charles Bertimon and senior Maxence Bertimon pushed the Rams forward.
This effort by the twins was VCU’s farthest postseason run.
Charles Bertimon said the run was both exciting to make it so far in the tournament, but also bittersweet that it ended.
“Of course we were disappointed when we lost because we wanted to go all the way and win a national championship,” Charles Bertimon said. “But looking back at it, it was just such a good experience and it built confidence.”
VCU added freshmen Etienne Marty, Romain Gales and Sam Baumgartner as new editions to the black and gold roster.
Baumgartner won a International Tennis Federation Junior Tournament as well as three ITF doubles titles before coming to VCU, according to VCU Athletics.
Maxence Bertimon said he’s excited about the newcomers’ capability to adapt to college and is prepared to help them progress in any way he can.
“When I met them, I was pleasantly surprised with how mature they already were able to integrate into school life. We will be the best assets we can for them,” Maxence Bertimon said.
The black and gold started the year going straight to training and participating in invitationals and tournaments during their fall pre-season.
This gave time for the players to play good competition like at the University of Virginia Regionals on Oct. 25. Graduate student Rayane Stable and junior Matisse Bobichon won the International Tennis Association regionals doubles bracket and qualified for the ITA national championships.
This duo performed well enough to be ranked No. 29 in doubles in the ITA national doubles rankings, according to VCU Athletics.
Stable and the Bertimons try to set a good example for them to prepare them for the new expectations of college life and tennis, Stable said.
“We really try to take responsibility to guide them through what college tennis is and what is expected of them here at VCU,” Stable said.
As the team is heading on to play the final games of the preseason, the Rams announced their 2023 spring season schedule.
The black and gold’s schedule is filled with power five school talent like Clemson University, Michigan State University, Wake Forest University and Virginia Tech.
VCU men’s tennis head coach Anthony Rossi said the schedule is set to give the team an opportunity to play competitive teams and to prepare for tournament play at the end of the spring semester.
“We have the mentality that we have to be ready to face the best competition at the end of the year, and to get ready for the A-10,” Rossi said.
The black and gold have a few games and invitationals left during the fall preseason and once the spring season begins on Jan. 20.
Fans should be excited about the team’s improvement, but prepare to see a lot of heart from the players, according to Rossi.
“When you come to our matches, you’ll see the intensity and the passion that those guys have during matches,” Rossi said.
