International players come to Syracuse for competition and camaraderie

When Younes Limam accepted the Syracuse head coaching job in 2014, his hiring represented a shift away from the domestic-recruiting practices of the old staff.

Hailing from Morocco, Limam could use his connections and experience around the world to recruit internationally and expand the brand of SU tennis. The question was how to convince international athletes — many seeking to play professionally — to come to Syracuse for four years of collegiate tennis.

Most of the players Limam recruited were the players teetering on the edge between hitting the courts on the WTA tour full-time or hitting the books.

“We’re looking for players that have the dream of playing professional after college,” Limam said. “At the end of the day we’re just trying to find the best recruit out there.”

Limam’s international recruiting has led to Syracuse’s eight-player roster being filled with six international players all from different countries. Of the 10 ACC teams in the ITA top-50, only Miami rosters more international players, with seven. Limam’s move has propelled Syracuse (12-3, 4-3 Atlantic Coast) to No. 32 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings.

For Limam, recruiting internationally proved to be more difficult than the old staff’s domestic approach. Some players, like Israel-native Libi Mesh, were actively seeking opportunities in the United States to play tennis.

“I wanted to come here since I was about 15 years old,” Mesh said. “I never played for a team, I always traveled alone and wanted to play for a team.”

Most of the international players had never played on a team before. The constant individual tournaments across Europe create a sense of loneliness, Mesh said.

When Mesh visited Syracuse in April 2014, she was hooked immediately by the energy and enthusiasm within Drumlins Country Club. The sense of camaraderie and togetherness brought comfort to players who came to central New York from thousands of miles away.

“I think we all are going through the same thing,” junior Dina Hegab said. “It helps us understand each other better and helps us as a team.”

Russian freshman Sofya Golubovskaya’s journey to the United States was much different. She had never been to Syracuse prior to her arrival on campus in January. Limam first met her when she played in an International Tennis Federation Futures tournament in Finland in summer 2017. It was up to Golubovskaya to decide whether or not she wanted to commit to SU. After a few Skype calls and Facebook chats with Limam, the freshman made her decision.

“My mom said I should go to college, that was more important” Golubovskaya said.

Limam and associate head coach Shelley George often offer and recruit players they know they can’t watch in person.  Instead, an online search of player’s results compare talent across the board.

“We use some agencies, we go to tournaments to watch players, we talk to former players, teammates, and coaches,” Limam said.

That’s how the pair found Miranda Ramirez. The SU sophomore hails from San Antonio, Texas, but was discovered by George in a Switzerland ITF tournament. After George saw Ramirez, Limam went to Portugal over the summer to watch her for himself.

He immediately noticed her talent, but still had to convince Ramirez that she could balance both tennis and school after focusing on just tennis for so much of her youth.

When Limam recruited Hegab, he never got the chance to see her in person. However, through the ITF rankings, Limam closely followed Hegab’s results. Once in touch with her, she sent him videos of some of her matches and practices.

Playing college tennis doesn’t necessarily mean that the players can’t play in WTA or ITF tournaments during the offseasons. The spring season is booked with Syracuse matches every weekend, but Limam said he gives his players the freedom to play in tournaments during both the fall and the summer.

Hegab said there is a common misconception surrounding collegiate tennis: that it is wasting four years that could be on the professional tour.

“Playing college tennis is a really high level,” Hegab said. “It’s a preparation for me if I want to play WTA when I’m done. I don’t see it as going out of the way.”