The York University Lions tennis team will compete for national supremacy Aug. 12 to 14 at the 2010 University & College National Team Championships.
The Lions were selected to participate after winning the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) men’s title last October. The women’s champion team, the University of Montreal Carabins, will also be in attendance. Rounding out the field of four are teams from Simon Fraser University and the University of Alberta, who each qualified at a Western regional playdown earlier this year.
Right: Ahmed Shebl
This week’s event is a combination tournament featuring players from the men’s and women’s teams at each institution. Each head-to-head contest between two teams will include three men’s singles, three women’s singles, two men’s doubles, two women’s doubles and one mixed doubles match.
Lions taking part in the event include OUA all-stars Mikhail Lew, Tomo Ono and Stephanie Willerding. Also on the team are Maria Gironda, Kia Khadem Hosseinieh, Julia Khalilova, Matt Kuzdub, Ahmed Shebl, Jason Xue and Jessica Yep.
The national championships begin Aug. 12 with two days of play at the old Tennis Canada courts on York University’s Keele campus. The final day of action will take place at the Rexall Centre, where the student-athletes will gather alongside the stars of the ATP World Tour at Rogers Cup presented by National Bank.