Ross Duncan, coach and international competitor

Ross Duncan, head tennis coach and professional tennis player, will be competing in Photo by Dan Pestolesi

Ross Duncan, Irvine Valley’s head tennis coach is also a professional tennis player who will be a United States representative, competing in the Italia Cup, in Boca Riton, Florida April 21-26. (Dan Pestolesi)

Irvine Valley College’s men’s tennis team has recently reached milestones in their program with staff in the athletics office head tennis coach Ross Duncan, who is a great player in his own right, being selected as one of the four representative of the United States in the Italia Cup, Boca Riton, Florida April 21-26.

Ross Duncan has been selected for the third time in a row to be an American representative in the Italia cup.

The Italia Cup is the International Tennis Federation’s men’s and women’s 35-40 age group premier team championship event according to the ITF’s website.

Duncan has played, coached, and is currently an agent on the professional level. He also was the Interim Head Coach at University of California Santa Barbara and Associate Head Coach at University of Oregon according to the Norton Sports Management website, of which he is the Director of Tennis.

Duncan has also coached the IVC mens tennis team to their first conference win and regional championships. They have advanced to the state championship that begins Wednesday April 23 in Ojai Calif. Duncan will be in Boca Riton, Fla., competing on an international level.

“Tennis is my life, tennis is my passion,” Duncan said. “ I was born in South Africa and played tennis since I was 5. I came to the U.S. to play college tennis at Pepperdine University in ’96.”

“The game has change through my life time and being selected to be apart of the Italia Cup means a lot to me,” Duncan said.

The U.S. team has only four representatives go each year and Duncan has been participating in singles for the past three years.

The Cup will have competitors from around the globe participating to determine the top team in the world.

“It is going to be physically tough with how much play there is, especially with how the demands in the sport are getting tougher and tougher.  Athletes have to be faster stronger and all around better athletes mentally and physically,” Duncan said.

Comments

comments