GW Men's Tennis Adds Three to 2012-13 Roster
8/29/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Aug. 29, 2012
WASHINGTON - Coming off its second straight Atlantic 10 title and second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament, the George Washington men's tennis team has added three highly touted newcomers to the 2012-13 roster.
"We are really looking forward to these three adding a lot of talent to our team," said reigning A-10 Coach of the Year Greg Munoz. "They bring a lot of experience and I expect them to make an immediate impact. We are in search of our third straight conference title, and with these additions I think it is definitely achievable, if not expected."
The Colonials lost just two players to graduation last spring and welcome back six returners, including reigning A-10 Most Outstanding Performer and Most Outstanding Rookie Performer Francisco Dias.
The newcomers include:
Nikita Fomin
Moscow, Russia
High School #1424
6-foot-3
Nikita comes to GW after spending the past two seasons at Stony Brook University where he was America East Rookie of the Year during his first campaign and an All-Conference First Team selection for both singles and doubles his sophomore season. A two-year competitor at the No. 1 singles spot, Nikita posted a 26-8 mark over his two seasons with the Seawolves. He was a three-time America East Player of the Week this past spring and following the season was ranked No. 14 in the Northeast Region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Nikita also earned a spot on the American East All-Academic Team. During his high school career Nikita ranked among the top-20 players in Russia and earned a top-400 ranking by the International Tennis Federation.
Head Coach Greg Munoz on Nikita Fomin: "Nikita has already proven himself at the NCAA Division I level and can compete against anyone in the top of the lineup. He defeated a number of ranked players while competing at Stony Brook and we're lucky to have him compete for us."
Nikita Fomin on why he chose GW: "GW has the perfect combination of excellent academics and athletics and I'm really looking forward to competing for the team this season."
Nikita Fomin was born on March 27, 1991, in Moscow, Russia. He is the son of Svetlana and Vladimir Fomin and has two younger sisters, Dasha and Polina. Nikita intends to major in business administration and finance at GW.
Kevin Kovacs
Frankfurt, Germany
IMG Academy (Fla.)
6-foot-2
Kevin comes to GW ranked No. 1,288 by the International Tennis Federation following a four-year career in the Bollettieri Tennis program at IMG Academy in West Bradenton, Fla. Kevin has competed in several international events, including the Copa Sultana-Mayaguez in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and the Honduras Junior Bowl in La Ceiba, Honduras. At IMG, Kevin was awarded the Nick Bollettieri Professionalism Award.
Head Coach Greg Munoz on Kevin Kovacs: "Kevin's game has been improving and is at a great place. He has great potential to compete in the lineup, and with more experience comes confidence. I know he will continue to build throughout the season."
Kevin Kovacs on why he chose GW: "I chose GW because it is the perfect combination of tennis, academics and location."
Kevin Kovacs was born on March 11, 1994, in Budapest, Hungary. He is the son and only child of Maria and Georg Kovacs. Kevin intends to be a pre-med major at GW.
Danil Zelenkov
Skopje, Macedonia
Nova International Schools
6-foot-1
Danil comes to GW as the No. 1,304 player in the world, according to the Association of Tennis Professionals. His highest ATP ranking was No. 1,293, which he reached on July 23, 2012. Danil currently owns a junior ranking of No. 156, while his highest International Tennis Federation mark came in February of this year when he reached No. 83. From 2006-10 Danil competed for the American International School in Kuwait where he was named team MVP. Following his return to Macedonia and the Nova International Schools in 2010, Danil has competed in several tournaments around the world. He qualified for the Budaors Cup in Budapest, Hungary, Pancevo International Tournament in Pancevo, Serbia, and the Serbian Junior Open in Novi Sad. In 2011 he competed at the Kuwait F1 Futures tournament where he reached the quarterfinals. This year Danil was a member of the Macedonian Davis Cup Team - which is ranked No. 63 in the world - and competed at the Serbia F5 Futures event. He was a two-year member of Principal's List at Nova International Schools and was awarded the Presidential Award for Academic Achievement Silver Seal in his junior year and the Golden Seal in his senior year.
Head Coach Greg Munoz on Danil Zelenkov: "Danil is the highest world-ranked junior player we have ever recruited and we anticipate he will make an immediate impact on the team. Additionally, he has very high academic marks which makes him a perfect fit for our academically successful squad."
Danil Zelenkov on why he chose GW: "I chose GW because it is the perfect place to pursue both my academic as well as my tennis dreams."
Danil Zelenkov was born on April 15, 1994, in Skopje, Macedonia. He is the son of Ljilja and Bojan Zelenkov and has one older brother, Branimir. Danil intends to major in business administration at GW.
Players Mentioned
