May 5, 2005
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Senior
Fabrizio Sestini from the TCU men's tennis team was named Conference USA Player of the Year according to a press release sent by the league office Thursday. Sestini, who is currently ranked No. 29 nationally in singles, also earned a place on the All-Conference First Team after grabbing second-team honors the previous three years.
"He deserved it," TCU head coach Joey Rivé said. "It's a great honor for Fabrizio. He really stepped up his game this year and took it to another level. He also took an active leadership role. He has developed quite nicely throughout his career and become one of the better players in the nation."
Entering the season ranked No. 73, Sestini's steady play in fall tournaments earned him a No. 34 billing in the first spring rankings. He captured at least a share of C-USA Player of the Month accolades for September, October and November. Sestini defeated three ranked players on his way to a 9-3 record.
During the spring, he achieved a career-high rating of 20th in March and knocked off five players currently ranked among the top 25. In April, he was chosen for the C-USA All-Decade Team along with 2004 Horned Frog senior Alex Menichini. Sestini's singles record stands at 22-13 and 12-9 at No. 1 singles in dual matches heading into TCU's first-round NCAA match-up with Wake Forest on Saturday, May 14.
Sestini's doubles partner Rafael Abreu earned a spot on the All-Conference Third Team. Sestini and Abreu, a junior, are ranked No. 13 with a record of 23-13. The duo entered the fall and spring ranked No. 8, their highest of the season and best for a Horned Frog doubles team since Ashley Fisher and Jason Weir-Smith during the 1996-97 academic year.
Sestini and Abreu were selected for the NCAA Doubles Championship today as well. Sestini will also compete in the singles tournament. The individual championships take place over May 25-30 in College Station, Texas, at Texas A&M's George P. Mitchell Tennis Center. Brackets for both tournaments will be released Tuesday, May 24.
