By Jeff White (jwhite@virginia.edu)
VirginiaSports.com
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The finish line approaches for four players whose impact on the University of Virginia men’s tennis program has been enormous.
As first-years in 2021, Chris Rodesch, Iñaki Montes, Alexander Kiefer and Jeffrey von der Schulenburg helped the Cavaliers advance to the NCAA tournament’s round of 16. In 2022, they were key members of a team that captured the program’s fifth NCAA title, and last year they led the UVA to a second straight national championship.
“I’m going to miss these guys,” Virginia head coach Andres Pedroso said. “I’m going to enjoy this last semester with them.”
The final spring season for this illustrious senior class starts Saturday, indoors at the Boar’s Head Resort, where Virginia will host Liberty at noon and JMU at 5 p.m. If all goes as planned for the Wahoos, they’ll still be playing in mid-May when the NCAA tournament’s final three rounds are held in Stillwater, Okla.
“It’s off to the races again,” Pedroso said.
To head into a season with such an experienced core is unusual, and “I think it’s a big advantage,” Pedroso said, “just because these guys can provide the younger guys with so many stories and so many experiences and a lot of stability and confidence that is needed throughout the ups and downs of a college season in any sport.”
Moreover, he said, “these are great guys, really nice guys who were brought up the right way. They’re good students and they love UVA. They represent us really well. We haven’t spoiled them. They’re as humble as you’re going to get when it comes to student-athletes being accomplished in their sport.”
Kiefer, Montes, Rodesch and von der Schulenburg are not the only returning players from a team that won its final 22 matches and finished 30-4 last year. Also back are sophomores Måns Dahlberg, Ty Switzer and Douglas Yaffa.
A native of Sweden, Dahlberg enrolled at UVA in January 2023 and had little time to adjust to life in the United States before the spring season began.
“It was a tough semester for him, and he handled it really well,” Pedroso said. “He took it in stride. He got knocked down many times, but the guy kept getting up, and every time he got up he was a little stronger, a little smarter and a little more knowledgeable about what he needed to do to be successful. He just got better as the season went on.”
Playing No. 6 singles, Dahlberg did…