Cowboy Tennis Signs International Duo

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State men's tennis has signed Luke Hammond and Thomas Unia to National Letters of Intent, head coach Jay Udwadia announced on Monday. The duo of international competitors will join the Cowboys and begin their collegiate careers in the fall of 2017.

Luke Hammond - 6-7 - Right-Handed - England

The right-hander has found plenty of success on the international scene as he boasts 95 career wins on the ITF Juniors circuit. Hammond's talent is evident in both singles and doubles, as the newest Cowboy signee has won more than two-thirds of his matches as a junior player, which includes an impressive .746 winning percentage in singles action. The Englishman's success at the junior level has helped him earn a a spot in the ITF Junior Rankings, where he has climbed as high as No. 144 in the combined rankings. Hammond advanced to the second round of the main draw during this year's Junior Wimbledon Championships and he currently holds a 13.37 Universal Tennis Rating.

Udwadia on Hammond
"It has been very exciting getting to know Luke and his family over the past few months. They have been a class act throughout this process and it's been a pleasure to be around them. Luke has impressed me both with his personality and his motivation. Coming in as an accomplished player already, Luke has a very high ceiling and we're looking forward to developing him and helping him reach his full potential. We expect Luke to come in and make a difference in our program. He has a powerful game and it will be exciting to work with a player that has his type of explosiveness."

Thomas Unia - 6-0 - Right-Handed - Cannes, France

Unia joins the Cowboys after a successful junior career where he has amassed nearly 50 career victories on the ITF Junior circuit. The Frenchman has made his mark in doubles play thus far in his young career as Unia has won nearly 60 percent of those contests. He has been ranked as high as No. 325 in the ITF Junior Rankings and has earned a -4/6 rating which, when translated to college tennis, means that he has the talent to compete at a high level for the Cowboys in the years to come. Unia currently holds a 13.62 Universal Tennis Rating and will be joining two of his fellow countrymen, Tristan Meraut and Mathieu Scaglia, on the Oklahoma State roster next season.

Udwadia on Unia
"Thomas has a very high French ranking for his age and is a very talented player who has shown that he can play at a very high level. He is a great ball-striker and has very good movement on the court. Thomas is someone that will compete for every point. It's a pleasure for me to have him join us and he'll be a great addition to our team and our university, both on and off the court."

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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