The Iowa men’s tennis team will open up its fall campaign this weekend in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Head coach Ross Wilson will send three players to the Western Michigan Invitational, including two newcomers to the program.

Junior Nils Hallestrand, along with freshmen Jonas Larsen and Tony Leto, will represent the Hawkeyes.

For Larsen and Leto, it will be their first taste of college competition.

“We’ve been working really hard this first month, and I feel like I’ve already had a jump, and I’m excited to play in my first meet as a Hawkeye and to represent my team,” Leto said in a release.

Larsen, from Koege, Denmark, has been ranked as high as 24th in the world and was a Danish national champion before coming to Iowa.

Leto, who hails from Downers Grove, Illinois, finished the 2014 Midwest Open as a finalist in singles play.

    An early meet like this one can go a long way in building confidence in the players and in the coaching staff, as well.

Tournaments in late September and early October help coaches learn a lot about their players, especially the new ones.

For Hallestrand, it will be a good opportunity to play matches against Big Ten and Midwest competition. The junior from Sweden will be looked at to contribute on this young Hawkeye squad, which boasts only three upperclassmen.

Leading the two freshmen this weekend will be a good opportunity for Hallestrand to showcase his leadership abilities.

The rest of the Hawkeyes will be off until Oct. 3 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American Tournament.

— by Blake Dowson