Stefan Hardy Named ITA Mideast Region Rookie of the Year
May 16, 2007 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina freshman Stefan Hardy has been named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Mideast Region Rookie of the Year Wednesday. Hardy finished the year 22-7 overall in singles and led the Tar Heels to their highest national ranking in school history. Hardy's singles record included an impressive 12-3 mark at No. 2 singles and 9-3 record at No. 3 singles. He also notched four wins over nationally-ranked players. Hardy also compiled a 19-5 record at No. 2 doubles with Sebastian Guejman. "This is a tremendous honor for Stefan," UNC head coach Sam Paul commented. "This award is based on his character, sportsmanship and competitive play, which has been recognized by the coaches in our region. After missing the fall with mononucleosis, Stefan performed at a remarkable level for our team. He is one of the most unselfish players that I have coached." Rising senior Benjamin Carlotti also recognized Hardy's significant contributions as rare for a rookie. "Stefan has been amazing in singles and doubles. He was very calm, composed and humble for someone playing so high in the lineup as a freshman. He's a great person and teammate," said Carlotti. Hardy concluded the year with an impressive performance at the ACC Tournament. He survived a tough first set 12-10 tiebreaker to beat Nicholas Delgado of Virginia Tech. In the semifinals, Hardy rallied from a set down and two breaks of serve (4-6, 0-3) to defeat Maciek Sykut, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. The crucial victory tied the overall match at 3-3 and set the stage for Chris Kearney's clinching victory moments later to earn the Tar Heels their first ACC Tournament championship match berth since 2002. Hardy is the third Tar Heel to win the ITA Region Rookie of the Year award, joining Bryan Jones (1989) and David Caldwell (1993), both of whom went on to become All-Americas.
Nationally ranked wins
Singles: 22-7 (overall) 9-4 (ACC overall)
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