The regular season has come to a close for Fordham Men’s Tennis, carrying quite a bit of momentum into the Atlantic 10 Tournament despite having an up and down year.

The squad wrapped up regular season play with an impressive home court win against the College of the Holy Cross Crusaders. This match marked the Rams’ return to their true home court in the Bronx, after playing all of their 2022 home contests at the Life Time Athletic Center in Harrison, N.Y. All three graduating seniors, Juan Paredes, Tom Russwurm and Jofre Segarra picked up straight set victories in singles play, ending their home careers on a sweet note.

Russwurm got things rolling for the Rams with a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the #1 singles spot, while his classmate Paredes followed up with a 6-2, 6-2 win in the #2 hole. Fordham’s Oregon University transfer, junior Gio Soemarno, continued the Rams’ hot start as he took the #3 match in straight sets. Junior Toi Kobayashi was forced into a playoff in the #4 spot by Holy Cross’ Alexander Ruenhorst, but held on to give the Rams a 4-0 lead in singles play. In the #5 spot, Segarra continued the solid play out of the senior class with a straight set victory. The only singles match lost by the Rams was the #6 match, in which freshman Aaron Ventura fell in straight sets. On the doubles side, Fordham took two of three single set matches to secure the lone doubles point. 

This was the second straight contest for the Rams against teams at the bottom of the Patriot League standings. The Holy Cross Crusaders stand at 2-15 overall and 1-6 in Patriot League play. While the Rams surely expected to defeat the Crusaders, following through with a dominant performance represents a significant step forward for the men’s team.

Sitting at 6-9, the Rams carry a two match win streak into the climax of their season, the A-10 Tournament, which takes place in just over a week at the United States Tennis Association National Campus in Orlando, Fla. This prestigious annual event presents an opportunity for the Rams to have a season defining run against their fellow A-10 competition.  With the turmoil of a coaching transition behind them, the team now enters a more hopeful final chapter of their season, free of any distractions caused by previous controversies atop the program.