Dom Patrick tops Lefteris Theodorou in Iowa City tournament

By Blake Dowson
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Some of the best junior tennis players in the region were in Iowa City on Sunday for a tournament hosted by the Iowa men’s tennis team.

The junior players got the chance to compete against the Hawkeyes as well, with most of the Hawkeye roster playing in the single-set tournament.

“This is a good opportunity for us to see some of the young kids and talk to them,” assistant coach Ty Schaub said. “It’s a big recruiting tool for us.”

The Hawkeyes, who pushed three players into the semifinal round, dominated the field of 64.

Sophomore Lefteris Theodorou and senior Dom Patrick both fought through tough matches in the field of four to earn spots in the tournament championship.

At the end of a long and hot day on the court, Patrick prevailed, 8-2, to claim the title.

“It’s physically draining to be out there playing for that long,” Patrick said. “But that’s what we train for. Once you’re out there playing, adrenaline takes over a little bit, too.”

Although it was an all-Hawkeye final, a young player may have stolen the show.

Alex Brown, a prep tennis star from Urbandale, Iowa, who plays for Waukee High, defeated Iowa sophomore Jake Jacoby in the quarterfinals to earn a spot in the semifinals against Patrick.

Brown, who just started his junior year at Waukee High, is the No. 1 ranked prep in Iowa and No. 14 in the nation.

“Alex is a stud,” said Patrick, who defeated Brown. “We would absolutely love to have him here. It’s cool to have him playing here with us today. From what I hear, he’s a Hawkeye fan.”

As a freshman, Brown compiled a 15-0 record on his way to a state singles title for Waukee.

“Alex is our No. 1 recruit,” head coach Ross Wilson said. “He’s an extremely good young player. We want him to be a Hawkeye.”

Another bright spot for Iowa was the play of Mississippi State-transfer Robin Haden. He looked like a model of consistency, hitting the ball very well and covering a lot of court.

Haden played himself into the final four of the tournament, in which he lost to Theodorou.

“I’m really happy with how everyone played,” Patrick said. “Everyone competed well, which can be a problem in tournaments like this. It was a good early season test for us.”

Follow @B_Dows4 on Twitter for news, updates, and analysis of the Iowa men’s tennis team.