Editor’s Note: This article first appeared as part of the October 8 flipbook.

As a redshirt freshman at Texas, Cleeve Harper’s season only got better with time. He ended the 2021 season tied for the team lead in singles victories and second in doubles victories, solidifying himself as an essential part of Texas men’s tennis.

Harper has only wanted to get better since then. After a quarantine and summer spent honing his skills in Florida, he is ready to take off. 

This past weekend, Harper got off to a hot start at the ITA All-American Championships kicked off in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

He started off his tournament run by defeating Francisco Pini of Oklahoma State in the Round of 256 in qualifying singles. Meanwhile, on Monday, in qualifying doubles, Harper immediately racked up two quick victories. 

Harper’s success in the tournament didn’t stop there, and he only continued his run in the doubles matches. 

Harper was paired with graduate transfer Richard Ciamarra for doubles, and the duo started off their Monday advancing past the qualifying doubles Round of 64. They subsequently defeated Kikuchi/Overbeck of Cal to advance past the Round of 32, as well.

After qualifying, they carried on their success to the main draw doubles the next day. 

On Wednesday afternoon, Ciamarra and Harper played the No. 1 seed, Trey Hilderbrand and Bogdan Pavel of UCF, in the main draw Round of 32. The pair claimed a resounding victory over the top seed and the No. 3 duo in the nation, capping off an amazing week.

The duo was defeated in the main draw Round of 16, but the success in the rest of the tournament speaks for itself.

The rest of the Longhorns also found success earlier in the week. Evin McDonald advanced to the Round of 128 and Nevin Arimilli to the Round of 64 in the Prequalifying Singles.

In the Qualifying Singles, Ciamarra was defeated in the Round of 256, and Woldeab and Harper advanced but were defeated in the Round of 128. 

The only Longhorn competing in the main draw singles is standout sophomore Micah Braswell. 

Braswell defeated Weststrate from USC in the Round of 64 before facing a defeat in the Round of 32 early Thursday afternoon.

While the tournament is over for the Texas team, it was a great start to the season at one of the biggest tournaments in the fall, especially for Ciamarra and Harper.

As a redshirt freshman at Texas, Cleeve Harper’s season only got better with time. He ended the 2021 season tied for the team lead in singles victories and second in doubles victories, solidifying himself as an essential part of Texas men’s tennis.

Harper has only wanted to get better since then. After a quarantine and summer spent honing his skills in Florida, he is ready to take off. 

This past weekend, Harper got off to a hot start at the ITA All-American Championships kicked off in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

He started off his tournament run by defeating Francisco Pini of Oklahoma State in the Round of 256 in qualifying singles. Meanwhile, on Monday, in qualifying doubles, Harper immediately racked up two quick victories. 

Harper’s success in the tournament didn’t stop there, and he only continued his run in the doubles matches. 

Harper was paired with graduate transfer Richard Ciamarra for doubles, and the duo started off their Monday advancing past the qualifying doubles Round of 64. They subsequently defeated Kikuchi/Overbeck of California to advance past the Round of 32, as well.

After qualifying, they carried on their success to the main draw doubles the next day. 

On Wednesday afternoon, Ciamarra and Harper played the No. 1 seed, Trey Hilderbrand and Bogdan Pavel of UCF, in the main draw Round of 32. The pair claimed a resounding victory over the top seed and the No. 3 duo in the nation, capping off an amazing week.

The duo was defeated in the main draw Round of 16, but the success in the rest of the tournament speaks for itself.

The rest of the Longhorns also found success earlier in the week. Evin McDonald advanced to the Round of 128 and Nevin Arimilli to the Round of 64 in the Prequalifying Singles.

In the Qualifying Singles, Ciamarra was defeated in the Round of 256, and Woldeab and Harper advanced but were defeated in the Round of 128. 

The only Longhorn competing in the main draw singles is standout sophomore Micah Braswell. 

Braswell defeated Weststrate from USC in the Round of 64 before facing a defeat in the Round of 32 early Thursday afternoon.

While the tournament is over for the Texas team, it was a great start to the season at one of the biggest tournaments in the fall, especially for Ciamarra and Harper.