248Athletics OF THE C URT Juniors Teodor Zlatar and Cas de Ruiter compete at the ITA Cup, NCAA Division II national championship. One of the 2023-24 Harding tennis doubles team, juniors Teodor Zlatar and Cas de Ruiter, competed at the ITA Cup, NCAA Division II national championship. The pair placed as runner-ups in October 2023 and was the first doubles team in Harding’s history to make it to the national championship. Tennis coach David Redding explained the honor of the qualification. “For a university to have a player or players qualify for the ITA Cup is a very prestigious accomplishment,” Redding said. “For Harding, this is the second year in a row we have had two players selected to compete in a 16-draw tournament from all D2 players from all over the country. In the 2022-23 season, two singles players went to the ITA Cup where they both eventually lost. Zlatar was one of the players who advanced as a sophomore, while the other singles player was fifth-year Dani Ortiz. Zlatar typically played as a singles player, but due to an illness on the team, he and de Ruiter were paired together mere weeks before the regional tournament, which decided the teams that progressed to the national championship. “It was an amazing thing to look forward to because we weren’t even sure if we were going,” de Ruiter said. “We ended up second in the regionals and only the winners are guaranteed a spot in the national championship.” Even though they were thrown together last minute, it was clear that the relationship of the team influenced their success at the championship greatly. Zlatar leaned on his teammate when things got tough, and it was in those moments that their natural talent didn’t matter as much as their connection did. “It is the most talented and deepest team I have coached during my tenure,” Redding said. “Ultimately how successful our season is will not depend on our talent alone, but how we learn from and handle pressure situations that we will encounter throughout the season and gain more mental toughness.” Zlatar and de Ruiter’s ability to learn with and from one another was a testament to their success. On and off the court they pushed each other to be the best. As each player’s skills were different, they had to rely on each other to succeed. Zlatar was known for his skills in serving and returning the ball, while de Ruiter was known for his netgame. Both players had unique skills that complimented one another, leading them to their second place title at the national championship. “We supported each other in tough moments on the court,” Zlatar said. It was the team dynamic and trust that sent these players to the championship. Their unexpected pairing greatly benefitted the team. Redding spoke about his love for the two players. “Cas has proven himself to be one of the top doubles players in the nation, and Teo has enough natural talent to be able to compete with anyone,” Redding said. “For me, it was one of the highlights of my coaching career to witness their run against some of the other top players in the nation.” Written by Hallie Davis Kings Photo courtesy of Sports Information
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