April 30, 2014
THE FLATS – Elijah Melendez, the 14th-ranked junior player in Georgia, has signed a letter-of-intent to attend and play tennis at Georgia Tech, head coach Kenny Thorne announced Wednesday.
Melendez, who lives in Suwanee, Ga., and plays out of the Stephen Diaz Tennis Academy, is ranked 132nd in the nation by the Tennis Recruiting Network, and No. 45 in the USTA Southern Section. He is Tech’s fourth signee in the 2014 class, which is ranked 12th in the nation.
Rated a four-star player, Melendez has accumulated a 42-25 overall singles record in the last year, including a 39-13 mark against players at the four-star level or below. He has beaten three players at the five-star and blue-chip levels.
“We’re excited to add Elijah to our already strong incoming freshman class next year,” said Thorne. “He is a strong tall left handed player who is currently having some very good results but he also has a ton of untapped potential. He absolutely understands the benefits of a Georgia Tech degree and is the type of student-athlete that will represent Georgia Tech extremely well. He understands our vision of taking this program to the top and doing it the right way.”
Melendez finished in fifth place in USTA Closed Regional in February, 2014, reaching quarterfinals, then won two backdraw matches, and went 4-2 at a USTA Southern Level 1A event in /South Carolina in April of 2014. He reached the quarterfinals in singles of the 2013 Bullfrog USTA Sectional, and the 2013 and 2014 USTA Closed Regional in Mobile, Ala.
An excellent doubles player, Melendez won the championships of the 2013 and 2014 USTA regionals and Winter Southern Closed events, and reached the semifinals in two Bullfrog USTA sectionals.
He joins a class already ranked 12th in the nation with three other top 100 players, all from the state of Georgia – No. 16 Christopher Eubanks of Atlanta, Ga., No. 29 Michael Kay of Alpharetta, Ga., and No. 55 Daniel Yun of Marietta, Ga.
“I love getting in-state players because they understand the value of our education as well as the high standards that we have for this team,” said Thorne. “We had some tough times this past year with not having enough players, but I know we have corrected that area in this recruiting class. These guys are all going to help right away and they are only going to get better. I’m proud of this incoming class so now it’s time to go to work.”
About Georgia Tech Men’s Tennis
Georgia Tech’s men’s tennis team is in its 16th year under head coach Kenny Thorne. The Yellow Jackets have played in the NCAA Championship 14 times. Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Tennis on social media by liking their Facebook page, or following on Twitter (@GT_MTEN). For more information on Tech men’s tennis, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
