Earlier this year, freshman Artem Kapshuk sat alongside his hitting partner, freshman Uladzimir Dorash, after practicing with each other in Poland.
Kapshuk was considering college, but vying to improve his ranking as a professional first, while Dorash was trying to earn a scholarship to play in the United States, which he had been working toward for more than two years.
“The average age for a pro in the Top 100 is around 24, and that’s when you start earning money,” Dorash said. “It’s a long way, and I told him, in college tennis, you compete a lot and practice for free with a good coach and team, and you get an education.