Monterrey

by Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

James Van Deinse of the Vero Beach Tennis & Fitness Club had his name placed alongside such bold-faced tennis names as former U.S. Olympians and Davis Cuppers Steve Johnson and Denis Kudla and former top 25 players Adrian Mannarino, Bernie Tomic and Benoit Paire in the singles main draw at the ATP Challenger Tour’s Monterrey, Mexico Challenger.

Van Deinse was making his debut on this high-level of professional, just below the ATP Tour level and it marked his highest mark in professional tennis. Despite not having an ATP singles or doubles ranking, Van Deinse was able to get a main draw singles (and doubles) wild card entry into the event, on the recommendation of former Mexican Davis Cupper and fellow Vero Beach teach pro Daniel Garza.

In the first round, Van Deinse drew word No. 130 ranked Yosuke Watanuki of Japan, fresh off advancing into the main draw of the Australian Open, where he lost to up-and-coming American star Sebi Korda in the second round. Van Deinse hung in as hard as you could, but was defeated 6-0, 6-1.

“Getting to play in an ATP challenger level tennis event is an awesome experience that very few players in the world can say they have done, so just compete was a thrill for me,” Van Deinse said via text from Mexico. “From getting to spend time on the ‘players only’ lounge, to signing autographs, to having ball kids, linesmen, and a chair umpire. It truly feels like the big times.”

Despite holding some recent wins in Vero Beach over former top 100 doubles player Brian Battistone and former top 400 player Michel Schmid (read more here: https://tennisverobeach.com/index.php/2022/12/19/james-van-deinse-beats-former-top-400-pro-to-win-utr-tournament-at-vero-beach-tennis-fitness-club/?fbclid=IwAR3oIE0-Jh__oe-RnMAgLROFip1wcNsjcnNo6qKHsfV3jLvvCiiXZuvSZr0) and some respectable results in the qualifying rounds at the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships $15,000 ITF World Tennis Tour USTA Pro Circuit event in Vero Beach, Van Deinse said the level of talent was significantly higher on the Challenger circuit.

“My opponent was top 150 in the world, and it showed,” Van Deinse said. “It was difficult for me to keep up with his pace. The level of intensity it takes to get even one point against a player of his caliber is almost overwhelming. Even though it wasn’t the result I wanted, I gave it my everything I had… as I always do. After this event, I am inspired to continue training to become the best tennis player I can be.”

Next up for Van Deinse will be competing the “King of Hill” final at The Boulevard on Thursday, March 2, where if he wins or finishes second, he will be awarded a main draw wild card in the doubles event at the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships that is held at his club, the Vero Beach Tennis & Fitness Club at Timber Ridge April 24-30.

James Van Deinse competing on the ATP Challenger Tour as seen on the live streaming of the event in Monterrey, Mexico

By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

You never know what you might find out while filling up your gas tank at Wawa in Vero Beach!

As I was filling by gas tank with unleaded at the Wawa on US-1, a yellow sports car pulled next to me. The car door opened and I heard a friendly voice call out ‘Hey Randy.”

It was James van Deinse, the co-owner and teaching pro at the Vero Beach Tennis and Fitness Club. We talked a bit about his success at “King of the Hill,” where he and brother Joseph are in the “Open Division” final to be played March 2, where the winner and runner-up get a wild card in the main draw of doubles at the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships $15,000 ITF World Tennis Tour event in late April. We also talked about the annual singles Mardy Fish “Wild Card” event at Sea Oaks, which is held next week. James then dropped the big news on why he would not be playing in that event.

“I got a wild card into a Challenger in Mexico,” said James.

A Challenger is a pro event that is just below the ATP Tour event level, and always features top 150 players, and many times top 100 pros and familiar names that all have seen play big matches at Grand Slam tournaments. The event is Monterrey Challenger and Fernando Verdasco, the Davis Cup star for Spain and former Australian Open semifinalist is the defending champion. Former French Open finalist David Ferrer won the event in 2018.

“How did you get that?” I incredously asked about this amazing opportunity.

Van Deinse explained that Dani Garza, the former Mexican Davis Cup player who coaches in Vero Beach, knows the tournament director and put in a good word for him and a wild card entry in the main draw of singles was granted.

“Adrian Mannarino is playing” van Deinse exclaimed of the former top 25-ranked French player who has reached the fourth round at Wimbledon three times and has won two ATP singles titles.

Van Deinse has played many prize money events in his career, as well as in the qualifying rounds of five ITF World Tennis Tour events on the $15,000-level. He played in the main draw of doubles at the 2017 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships in 2017, losing in the first round alongside former Quail Valley teaching pro and University of Florida standout Michael Alford. Van Deinse has never held an ATP ranking in singles or doubles and his Universal Tennis (UTR) rating is 11.48. He recently posted one of the best results of his career, winning a local UTR event in Vero Beach, beating former top 400 player Michal Schmid in the Czech Republic in the final as you can read here: https://tennisverobeach.com/index.php/2022/12/19/james-van-deinse-beats-former-top-400-pro-to-win-utr-tournament-at-vero-beach-tennis-fitness-club/?fbclid=IwAR3oIE0-Jh__oe-RnMAgLROFip1wcNsjcnNo6qKHsfV3jLvvCiiXZuvSZr0

For more information on the Monterrey Challenger, click here: https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/monterrey/7351/overview

https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/monterrey/7351/overview

Monterrey

James Van Deinse Loses To Australian Open Second-Round Finisher In ATP Monterrey, Mexico Challenger

At Wawa, James van Deinse Reveals Amazing Tennis Career Opportunity