Auburn senior Tim Dollman's strong run in the ITA Southern Regionals earned him a spot in this week's ITA Fall Nationals in Newport Beach, Calif.
The Oracle ITA National Fall Championships features 128 of the nation's top collegiate singles players (64 men and 64 women) and 64 doubles teams (32 men's team and 32 women's teams). It is the lone event on the collegiate tennis calendar to feature competitors from all five divisions playing in the same tournament.
Dollman made the finals of the ITA Southern Regionals in both singles and doubles. Playing in the qualifying draw in singles, Dollman won eight consecutive matches to reach the finals and earn a bid for ITA Nationals.
"I wasn't expecting to go as far in the regionals as I did," Dollman said. "I just took it a match at a time from the qualifying round and once I got going in the main draw, I knew what was at stake with going to ITA Nationals. I'm just going to play my game and see how it goes. I don't have any expectations since it's my first time going out there. Obviously, I believe I can do well so I'm just going to play my game and see where that takes me."
Head coach Bobby Reynolds is pleased with Dollman's development since last season, and attributes some of that success to Dollman's mindset competing on the court.
"I think it was definitely a breakthrough tournament for Tim," said Reynolds. "The results show but what goes into the background of it are the things that we've been working on and helping him realize what type of game he needs to play in order to be successful. I think Regionals were the first time where he allowed himself to take the criticism that we've been giving him and implement it into his game. Obviously, now he has the results to back it up. I told him going into the tournament this week, I want him to keep that same mindset. He's got nothing to lose and everything to gain right now. If he keeps that mindset and he keeps playing free on the court and allowing himself to do what he does well and use those weapons, he can have a great tournament."
Reynolds believes the experience Dollman gains from the ITA Southern Regionals and the upcoming ITA Nationals will benefit him not just this week but during the spring season as well.
"With Tim being a transfer (from UAB before last season), we've only had a year to work together," said Reynolds. "We've just said that he's got one more year left to play college tennis. If you don't go out with the mindset of leaving everything out on the court and put everything in the past in the past, you're going to have regrets. I'm hoping that when the light bulb turns on and they get the results, that their trajectory is still going up.
"He's done unbelievable from the summer going into practice. It's taken a little bit -- from Tulsa to Georgia Tech, he didn't get the results -- but he's playing his style of game now, and obviously, the results from regionals show that. Being able to take what he's accomplished, not look back and push forward, whether it's at this tournament or when spring starts, is big."
Dollman will begin singles play Wednesday at the Tennis Club at Newport Beach Country Club; draws will be announced later today. The finals are scheduled for Sunday.