AOTW: Jonathan Chu '05

What the Harvard men’s tennis team could not win at home, sophomore star Jonathan Chu helped it win on the biggest stage in tennis.

Competing in the ECAC championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in New York, under the shadow of Arthur Ashe stadium, Chu blazed through his singles matches in the first three rounds before winning the clinching match against Virginia Tech in the finals yesterday morning.

He dominated the competition, dropping only one set. Facing Saber Kadiri of the Hokies, who had beat Chu last year in an ITA regional matchup, Harvard’s No. 1 player dropped the first set. Then, in the second, Kadiri held two match points.

Chu, however, held tough and fought off Kadir, winning the set Emboldened by the shift in momentum, Chu proceeded to roll through Kadir in the third set, which he won 6-2. That match clinched the championship, which Harvard had failed to win as host the past two years.

Chu proved himself for the umpteenth time to be one of Harvard’s best recruits over the past five years. Storming the scene as a freshman, Chu has held on to the top spot despite a deep lineup that includes senior Dave Lingman and junior Cliff Nguyen. Along with Lingman and doubles partner Oli Choo, Chu, the No. 47-ranked player in the country, will represent Harvard at this weekend’s ITA All-American championships. Chu’s on fire—and it’s not even Ivy season yet.