Sports

San Diego Aviators Draft NCAA Champion

The 29-year-old Somdev Devvarman is 78th on the Association of Tennis Professionals singles rankings. He won the NCAA Division I men's singles championship in 2007 and 2008 while playing for the University of Virginia.

The San Diego Aviators selected two-time NCAA singles champion Somdev Devvarman with the first choice in Tuesday's World TeamTennis roster draft as they completed stocking their roster for their inaugural season.

The 29-year-old Devvarman is 78th on the Association of Tennis Professionals singles rankings. He won the NCAA Division I men's singles championship in 2007 and 2008 while playing for the University of Virginia. In 2010, he won the Commonwealth Games men's singles gold medal and gold medals in singles and doubles in the Asian Games.

The Aviators drafted Raven Klaasen with the first pick of the second round. Klaasen is 30th on the ATP doubles rankings, reached the final of this year's Australian Open and has won four ATP World Tour tournaments in doubles.

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The Aviators used their fourth-round choice to protect Kveta Peschke, ninth on the Women's Tennis Association doubles rankings, who played for the team last year when it was known as the New York Sportimes.

The Aviators traded their third-round choice to the Springfield Lasers for a fourth-round choice and financial consideration. The Aviators passed with the selection acquired from Springfield.

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The Aviators got the first choice in the draft because the Sportimes had a league-worst 4-10 record in 2013.

The Aviators acquired Bob and Mike Bryan, the ATP's top-ranked doubles team, in a January trade with the Texas Wild and chose Daniela Hantuchova in the second round of last month's marquee draft.

The Aviators will begin their 14-match season in July.

—City News Service


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