Patrick Kaukovalta Signs NLI with Alabama Men’s Tennis
11/8/2017 5:52:00 PM | Men's Tennis
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men's tennis team and head coach George Husack picked up a great addition to the program by signing Patrick Kaukovalta to the 2018 signing class Wednesday afternoon.
"Patrick is a super addition to our program and we're very fortunate to have him choosing Alabama over Ole Miss and Wake Forest," Husack said. "It was clear to us throughout the recruiting process that we were not only getting a tremendous tennis player but also an outstanding person with high character. He is Bama all day, every day."
The talented incoming freshman is currently ranked as the No. 2 men's tennis player in Finland and was the national runner-up in his home country in 2016 and 2017. Kaukovalta has been ranked as high as No. 108 in the ITF world junior rankings, with titles at the TATS Open, ITF Kramfors Junior Challenge, and Swedish Junior Open. He was also a finalist at the G1 Berlin, Citta di Prato, Pilsen Wilson Cup Estonian Junior Open, and Pajulahti Cup.
At only 18 years old, Kaukovalta has already achieved an ATP singles ranking as high as No. 1119 with notable wins over No. 459 Marco Bortolotti, No. 480 Tomas Papik, and No. 739 Michiel de Krom, while currently holding an UTR rating of 14.06.
Kaukovalta has had many interesting tennis experiences, first representing Finland in the European Youth Olympics in 2013, and, in 2016, Kaukovalta was a part of the Finnish Davis Cup team. He also had an opportunity to play a point in exhibition against his idol, Roger Federer, in front of 13,000 people in Helsinki, Finland.
"Patrick has been one of the top players in Finland throughout his junior career and now in the men's division," Husack said. "He has had success in his home country as well as on the international junior and professional tours. He will make a significant impact to our team starting this January."
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