LI’s Noah Rubin Into Quarters at Boys Nationals in Kalamazoo

August 8, 2013 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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Long Island native Noah Rubin took one step closer to a automatic wild card into the main draw at the 2013 U.S. Open with a thrilling 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory in a match at the USTA Boys 18s National Championships in Kalamazoo, Mich. that started yesterday and ended today due to a weather delay. In this Round of 16 match, Rubin was facing Ronnie Schneider, the number one college recruit in this year’s class and is heading to the University of North Carolina in the fall.

Yesterday, Schneider jumped out to 6-3, 4-4 lead before rain suspended the match. This morning, play resumed and Rubin looked refreshed and ready. He broke serve at 5-5 in the second set and then held to send it to a third and deciding set. His coach, Lawrence Kleger, director of tennis at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, thought the rain delay was to Noah’s advantage.

"The rain delay was a positive," said Kleger. "It allowed Noah to regroup. In the third set, he calmed down mentally and moved much better as well."

Rubin didn’t take the momentum from the second set win into the third though as Schneider refused to give in at all and played very consistently from the baseline. Schneider jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Accordingly to Kleger, this is when Rubin "started to dictate points more and move forward to play more offensively."

Rubin fought back to 3-3. The two players then went back and forth, holding serve until Rubin converted a break point to go up 6-5. That was the first lead of the entire match for Rubin, and he wasn’t about to give it back. He served out the match for the win.

"I felt much better today," said Rubin after the match. "I feel good about my overall effort, and am relieved to be through this match and moving on to the quarters."

Kleger was very impressed with the mental toughness Rubin displayed today.

"When you are not playing your best, it comes down to how you compete," said Kleger. "Noah is a great competitor and never stops believing he can win. He has a strong belief in his own abilities and that is a quality that great players need to have."

His father and coach, Eric Rubin, was equally impressed saying, "For Noah to come back from both a set down and 0-3 in the third in such an intense setting as the Zoo [Kalamazoo], shows Noah to have an absolutely huge heart and to be a competitor of the highest order. His competitive nature is just astounding."

Rubin now advances to the quarterfinals where he will face Logan Staggs on Friday. Rubin is also in the quarterfinals in the doubles draw, as he is teamed with Martin Redlicki. They are the tournaments top seeds. A championship in the doubles draw would also mean automatic entry into the U.S. Open Main Draw.


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Century
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