LI’s Noah Rubin Captures First Pro Title in Charlottesville
November 9, 2015 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
The Charlottesville Men’s Pro Challenger concluded Sunday, and it was Long Island’s Noah Rubin defeating fellow American Tommy Paul in the finals to capture his first career pro title. Rubin saved two match points to defeat Paul 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-3, rallying from a 3-6, 1-5 deficit, breaking back twice in the second set and surviving a late charge by 18-year-old Paul in the decider. Rubin won eight matches in nine days after emerging from qualifying–the fourth qualifier to win a title this year.
“I am just happy to be out here, playing good tennis and moving well,” said Rubin. “ I have a great team behind me right now and I am really enjoying myself right now.”
Sunday’s championship marked just the second time in Charlottesville’s seven-year history that two American-born players have squared off in the finals. Back in 2010, former Virginia star Michael Shabaz and Robert Kendrick faced each other.
Rubin’s win marks the 13th time a teen has triumphed in 2015 and the seventh occasion in which a player outside the Top 300 in the Emirates ATP Rankigs has prevailed. The fifth player to save at least one match point in a final this year, he is expected to rise in the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings from 537th in the world to 317th in the world.
“It took me a while to get through the fatigue—mentally and physically—of playing my eighth match in nine days,” said Rubin. “It was probably the most tennis I’ll ever play in my career again. It was just proving to myself that I could do it.”
