The Gardner-Webb men's tennis team was represented by Evgeny Slesarev in the 2007 Polo Ralph Lauren All-American Tennis Championships this past weekend. The annual tournament is known to have the most ranked players of any collegiate tournament. The only tournament with more prestige than this one is the year-ending National Championships held in May.

The tournament consists of a pre-qualifying round, a qualifying round, and then the main draw. Slesarev was nominated into the tournament as an at-large selection. The at-large selections are based on preseason Fila national rankings and ITA National Tournament Committee recommendations. Only the top 16 players, out of 128, advance to the qualifying round. In order to do so, a player must win all three of their matches. If a player loses, they go home. All of the at-large selections in the pre-qualifying round had to play on Sept. 29th and 30th.

Slesarev was matched up against Jarrod Epkey (Ball State) in the first round of the pre-qualifyer. Slesarev lost his serve in the first game whicih forced him to play more defensive rather than go for his shot. Knowing this, Epkey did not take any chances and would not allow Slesarev to regain his serve. Without the ability to go for his shot, Slesarev fell to Epkey 6-3, 6-3.

Eventhough Slesarev did not win; Coach Griffith feels that the experience of "Big Time" tennis will help him in the future. To be selected into the tournament is a huge honor, and Gardner-Webb is proud to have one of its student-athletes represented on such a big stage.

Slesarev will join back up with the rest of the Bulldogs for Gardner-Webb's next match at the USC Fall Tournament on October 12th-14th.